Pegasus, Arise
by Dealsian-Maverick
Summary: Malachite has returned, but his new ally turns out to be not what she appeared. Things take a surprising turn when Malachite renews his allegiance to the Royal family of Earth. But when new players enter the field, who can say what will happen.
1. Chapter 1

"You're late again, Meatball-head! Can't you ever be on time for anything?" Raye snapped, as Serena and Luna came in through the temple gate. Luna cast her eyes skyward, continuing toward the group, and the other Scouts hid smiles as Serena pulled up short.

"Raye, that's not fair! And quit calling me Meatball-head!" Serena retorted. Raye Sailor Mars, shrugged with a smile.

"Why should I? It's what you are!" she stated. Raye teased Serena on a regular basis but she never meant it in a malicious way; she and Serena were close friends.

"Alright, you two…cut it out," Lita, Sailor Scout of Jupiter said with a smile, preventing the usual five minutes of catty remarks from the pair. Serena and Raye surrendered and grinned at each other, both moving over to sit with the other girls. Ami, Sailor Mercury, turned to the black cat as she setteled on the temple steps,

"Luna, why did you call this meeting?" she asked, "Everything is calm at the moment and…"

"Ami's 100 per cent right, Luna," Mina, Scout of Venus, interrupted, "_**Nothing**_is happening. As a matter of fact, everything is _**boring**_!"

"Mina, be quiet," the white cat sitting beside her said firmly. "We believe that things aren't going to stay quiet for much longer. Luna, why don't you fill them in on what we've seen in the past few days?"

"Thank you, Artemis," Luna responded. "Now, Scouts, this is important so if you don't understand anything, be sure to ask. Over the past few days, Artemis and I have been monitoring small amounts of negative energy around the city. There seems to be no set pattern to where it appears. The energy manifests, holds position for several minutes, and then disappears again. The amount of energy has been steadily increasing each day and if it continues at its present rate the results could well be disastrous." The five Scouts looked around at each other, their expressions serious.

"What do you want us to do?" Serena finally asked, breaking the silence.

"For the moment, Serena, all that you _**can**_do is keep your eyes open. If any of you see anything in the least bit suspicious; tell us immediately. Other than that, just be careful," Luna responded. The five girls nodded sombrely and then Lita, Ami, Mina, Serena and the two cats rose to go home.

"See you tomorrow, Raye," Serena called back over her shoulder. Raye nodded distractedly, turning, and went into the temple. Settling before the fire, she closed her eyes. _Negative energy…_ she thought. _What does this mean?_

"Good morning, Buns," a voice hailed Serena as she walked toward Crossroads Junior High the next morning. She looked over her shoulder, a delighted smile on her face.

"Hi, Darien," she replied as the tall, dark-haired young man fell in beside her. "How are you?"

"Fine," Darien replied, putting his arm around her shoulders and giving her a quick hug. "By the way, where's Luna? I haven't seen her for the past few days." Serena nodded her agreement.

"She and Artemis have been busy. They say that they've been getting readings of negative energy from around the city," she explained. Darien frowned slightly. Serena shook her head at the expression. "Nuh-uh, Darien. Luna told us to keep our eyes open. She _didn't_ tell us to transform and go search the city ourselves, O.K?" Darien nodded, but the slightly worried look didn't leave his face.

"Serena, hurry up! Otherwise you'll be late," Lita called from the school gates. Darien kissed Serena on the forehead.

"You don't want detention, Buns. You'd better go." Serena sighed, then nodded.

"Yeah, I know. See you later." she replied and headed toward Lita, who was waiting impatiently for her.


	2. Chapter 2

"Ummm…" the sound floated through the still air, echoing through the quiet corridors in the empty palace of the Dark Kingdom. A tall young woman lying on a crystal slab stirred and opened her eyes. "What…where am I?" She sat up, swinging her feet to the floor, the silk of her floor-length gown swirling around her shins. Shaking her long hair away from her face, she looked around the room, taking in the stone walls. "If this is a dream, I want to wake up," she murmured with a shudder. Her hands went to the back of her neck, massaging stiff muscles, and she gasped in surprise as her fingers caught in the silver chain lying flush against her skin. Unfastening the clasp, she held up the pendant and stared at it in confusion. The black crystal gleamed in the dim light of the Negaverse. "This isn't mine…is it?" she wondered aloud, letting the chain slip through her fingers as she stood up. The crystal hit her skirt, sliding down the silk, and rolling over the hem to rest on the floor. Walking toward the doorway, the young woman didn't notice what was happening behind her. The pendant was glowing, and the light was flowing upwards into the shape of a human figure. The light suddenly vanished and a tall man with shoulder-length white hair, dressed in a grey outfit and white cloak stood with the pendant at his feet. Retrieving it from the floor, he moved toward the woman in the doorway, his steps silent. She, meanwhile, was staring unhappily along the branching passage that led from the room. "It's hopeless," she sighed, her shoulders sagging in defeat. "I'll never find my way out of here!"

"Would you want to?" the man asked from directly behind her, draping the pendant around her neck and fastening the clasp. She gasped and whirled to face him, her fingers going to the pendant. "I'm sorry," he apologised with a smile. "I didn't mean to startle you." He reached out and gently lifted her wealth of black hair from under the chain.

"Ma…Malachite?" she stammered. "Where did you come from?" Malachite smiled again.

"Right here, your Highness," he answered, touching the pendant around her neck. She shook her head, confused.

"I don't know what you mean…and what did you ask me?" Malachite took a step back and looked at her. Her head was slightly to one side and there was a quizzical lift to her eyebrows. It was an expression he recognised, but he couldn't remember exactly where he'd seen it before.

"I asked you would you want to find your way out of here, your Highness," he answered her question. "The world has changed, Princess Xantha. You wouldn't recognise it the way it is now. But here…you could rule the Negaverse!" Xantha stepped back, turning away from him.

"Rule…here? Why can't I return home? Why do I have to stay here?" she demanded, her voice anguished.

"Because Sailor Moon would not let you claim your rightful place in the world. You could only ascend the throne of Earth if she had the Silver Imperium Crystal no longer." Malachite replied, his voice hard.

"Sailor Moon?" Xantha asked, her tone puzzled. "Well, if that is the way it is, I shall remain here only until such time as I can take the crystal from her!" she declared, her voice determined. Malachite's eyes glinted viciously at her words. Perhaps now he could finally even the scales.

"Your Highness," he said. Xantha turned back to him curiously. "Please, Princess, allow me to deal with this for you," he continued, dropping to one knee and bowing his head. The young woman pursed her lips, looking down at him for a moment, before nodding slightly.

"As you wish, Malachite. Do what you must to remove the crystal from Sailor Moon's possession," she agreed. "Now, show me what lies beyond this room." Malachite rose to his feet and moved past her, to show her the way to the main part of the palace. He smiled with satisfaction and his eyes glittered dangerously. /_Now, Sailor Moon_/ he thought with a grim pleasure. /_You will pay…_/ Thoughts of revenge filled his mind as he emerged from the corridor into the Dark Kingdom's throne room, and escorted the dark-haired girl to the foot of the dais. Bowing, he stepped back, as she mounted the platform. Once she had seated herself, he looked at her with a question in his eyes, and Xantha nodded her permission. Malachite bowed again and, turning, vanished through a portal.

Back in Tokyo, a sudden flash on the screen in the control room caught Artemis' attention, and his face fell as he took a better look.

"Luna! Look at this!" he exclaimed, worried. Luna leapt up beside him, and concern filled her face. A huge amount of negative energy, far more then the sum of all other amounts, had just appeared around Tokyo Tower.

"I'll contact the Scouts," Luna stated, "School has just finished for the day."

"Molly, you want to go for some ice-cream?" Serena asked her friend as they walked out of the school building. Molly shrugged, shaking her head.

"I'd really like to, Serena, but I promised my mom I'd help out at the store. So I'll see you Monday morning, O.K?" Serena nodded with a smile, and Molly hurried off in the direction of her house. The intercom on Serena's wrist beeped, and Luna's voice came through.

"Serena, go to Tokyo Tower immediately!" Luna's voice was urgent. "Something's happening!" Serena gasped, remembering Luna's warning the previous night.

"Serena!" Ami's voice hailed the fair-haired scout, as she rushed up to her. "What are you just standing there for?"

"I only just got Luna's message," Serena explained as they both set off at a run toward the tower. Just before they got there, they saw Raye, Lita and Mina waiting for them.

"What took you so long?" Mina demanded.

"Sorry," Serena replied quickly. "Are we all ready?"

"Let's go!" Lita answered.

"Check it out!" Sailor Jupiter cried, as they raced around the corner. The sky was roiling as though it was in the midst of a storm. The strange thing was it was happening only above Tokyo Tower. The rest of the sky was calm without a cloud in sight. With no warning, a lightning bolt ripped down from the turbulent circle of sky and struck the tower. The next second a black disc appeared at ground level and, as though it was a door, Malachite stepped through it.

"_**Malachite!**_" Sailor Moon exclaimed in disbelief. "But…but you're…"

"Dead?" Malachite finished with a mocking laugh. "You'd prefer that, wouldn't you?" The Sailor Scouts drew themselves up.

"I don't know how you're here or what you want, but nothing has changed since we saw you last time!" Sailor Venus retorted. Malachite threw back his head and laughed derivishly.

"Only _one_ thing hasn't changed," he said with contempt. "I still want the Silver Imperium Crystal. And this time, I'll get it!" He gestured shortly and, in response to the motion, a beam of black light shot from the portal and enveloped Sailor Moon. She was immediately pulled through the portal as the beam retracted, and Malachite followed her.

"Sailor Moon!" a voice cried. Turning, the Scouts saw Darien running toward them. "We've got to go after her," he declared as he reached the group. Without changing his pace, he became Tuxedo Mask and headed through the portal that was starting to close. The Scouts looked at each other quickly, then dived through after him.

"…done, Malachite," a female voice greeted them. "Very well done." The Scouts and Tuxedo Mask could hardly believe what they were seeing. A tall, black-haired woman was holding Serena's brooch compact, while Serena was sitting tied on the floor. The woman opened the compact and took out the crystal…

"NO!" Sailor Venus shouted, leaping forward. The dark-haired woman jumped, dropping the crystal, as she and Malachite noticed the group for the first time.

"Princess, I shall get rid of these interferers," Malachite stated, grabbing Venus before she could reach the young woman. Xantha's gaze travelled over the rest of them. She suddenly gasped in what sounded like a peculiar mix of surprise and joy.

"Endimyon?" she cried. "I've missed you so much!" Suddenly, she turned to Malachite. "Let them go," she demanded, gesturing toward the two blond girls. Malachite, his face surprised, released his grip and the bonds of shadow dissolved from around Serena; who quickly regained her feet and backed up to the rest of the team with Sailor Venus. Xantha's eyes hardened as she stared steadily at Malachite. "Why didn't you tell me my brother was still alive?" she demanded. "And what did you hope to gain by deceiving me?" she continued, bending to retrieve the crystal. As her fingers touched it, a multi-hued burst of light erupted, and enveloped her in its radiance. As the light died, Xantha straightened, her face icy. "I know why," she answered herself. "You didn't _want_ me to know!" At her words, Malachite blinked, then his face hardened, his brows dropping in a scowl. Xantha turned her back on him, and looked over the group opposite her again, her expression one of friendship.

"Who are you?" Tuxedo Mask asked her. Xantha's face became stricken. She hesitantly stepped away from him. As she did so, Malachite smirked, his eyes sardonically amused.

"You don't remember me?" Xantha demanded, her voice anguished. "Now I've lost _everyone_!" She tossed the crystal and compact to him, a look of helplessness on her face, tears in her eyes. As Tuxedo Mask deftly caught the crystal, light streamed from it once more, washing over him and the Sailor Scouts. Replacing the crystal in the brooch compact and snapping it shut; the confusion disappeared from Tuxedo Mask's face. He handed the compact to Serena, who swiftly transformed again. Tuxedo Mask walked over to the girl, who had turned away from everyone. She was staring mutely at the ground, the tears now falling down her cheeks.

"Xantha," he said gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. She raised her head, half turning to look at him, confusion showing in her eyes.

"How do you know my name if you don't remember me?" she asked, mystified. Tuxedo Mask smiled, wiping the tears off her cheeks.

"I do remember you now," he explained. "The crystal gave me that last part of my memory back." The Scouts nodded their agreement. Xantha's face lit up.

"You remember me? Thank Goodness!" she exclaimed. /_I know there's something else, something important…but I just can't remember what…_/ she thought, when Sailor Jupiter's voice broke in on her thoughts.

"Now that we've got Sailor Moon back and found Darien's family…how're we gonna leave?" the brown-haired Scout demanded. Xantha grinned.

"Leave that to me…"

"I will not open the portal for them," Malachite stated harshly as she turned to him. "Or for you…"

"I don't think you fully grasp the way things stand, Malachite," Xantha almost purred. "Here's the deal. Either you open that portal, _or_…I stand back and let the Scouts _persuade_ you to open it. Face it, silver-top, either way…you lose!" Malachite's face darkened, but he stayed silent under her gaze. He turned, and gestured. Dark green light suddenly illuminated the shape of a doorway. The light faded and they could see the area at the foot of Tokyo Tower.

"Thanks, Malachite," Sailor Moon said cheerfully, as they all stepped from the gloom of the Negaverse to the afternoon sunshine of Tokyo. Malachite scowled at her, but didn't reply. Xantha looked around with a look of delight, streching, before she glanced back at Malachite.

"Thank you and, of course, _goodbye_!" She turned on her heel and walked off, Darien and the girls surrounding her. Malachite clenched his fist. /_We will meet again, Princess. Of that, you may be sure…_/ he swore silently, as the portal closed.


	3. Chapter 3

"I'll be home later," Serena called to her mother as she left her house after breakfast the following morning. "Bye!" She smiled as she headed for Darien's apartment. The group had gone straight there after they had left the Negaverse, and Darien had told Xantha that he wasn't going to take 'No' for an answer when he had offered that she make the apartment her home too.

"Serena, wait up!" a voice called. Serena looked over her shoulder to see Raye running toward her. "What's got you up so early?" the prietess asked, as she fell into step beside Serena.

"Nothing important. I just want to see how Xantha came through her first night in this world."

"I'd call that pretty important," Mina protested, joining them. Serena laughed.

"I meant 'fight-the-bad-guys-or-the-world-will-be-destroyed' type of important." she responded. Mina nodded her agreement.

"Hey!" Xantha greeted them, opening the door to the apartment. "Ami and Lita are here already!" The three girls walked in and looked around. Nothing had noticeably changed in the main room to show that two people now lived there instead of one.

"Hi, everyone," Darien said, from his place on the couch. "Find seats. D'you want anything to drink?" Serena, Raye and Mina declined with headshakes. Xantha smiled, closing the door and crossing the room to the window.

"So…" she started, perching herself on the sill. "What's up?" Lita grinned at the looks on the new arrival's faces.

"Ami and I couldn't believe it either. Adjusts well, doesn't she?" The others laughed and agreed. Xantha smiled.

"I can't help it. Being full of happiness does that to a person, and nothing could make me miserable after finding my brother when I thought he was dead." The others looked at each other, then back at Xantha. Lita broke the silence.

"What was it like…y'know… there?" she asked. The smile slid off Xantha's face.

"I'd rather not talk about it," she replied quietly, turning on the sill to look out the window. The silence became uncomfortable. Lita shifted uneasily.

"Sorry, Xantha," she apologised, her voice downcast. Xantha looked over her shoulder at her. Lita was staring at the floor, looking miserable. Xantha slid down off the windowsill and walked over to Lita.

"It's O.K," she murmured, putting her hand hesitantly on Lita's shoulder. "What happened wasn't your fault." Lita smiled gratefully.

"Hey, it's a beautiful day and we're wasting it indoors!" Mina exclaimed, gesturing toward the window. "Let's go to the park!" Mina's suggestion brushed away the tension and they all headed out the door, laughing and talking happily.

"DAMN!" Malachite shouted, slamming his hand down on the table, causing Queen Beryl's dark crystal orb to bounce off its stand. Malachite laid his hand on the orb to prevent it rolling off the table and the image faded. He gritted his teeth in exasperation. "The last thing I expected was that she would mesh so easily with those Sailor brats!" He placed the orb back on its stand and left the small room. /_I have to do something_/ he thought moodily, pacing swiftly down the corridor toward the throne room. /_Tuxedo Mask must suffer. Suffer the way _I_ did._/

"Darien, quit it. Right now!" Xantha exclaimed, ducking another swing from the pillow Darien was holding. She had come in to wake him up and he had responded by starting to chase her around the apartment with his pillow. "Hang on, I…_ow_! Darien, _**stop**_!" she exclaimed, grabbing the pillow. Darien stopped trying to wrestle the pillow off her when he heard what Xantha had. Someone was knocking on the front door. "Hi, Serena…Rini," Xantha gasped, opening the door and beckoning them in. As soon as the young woman had shut the door, Rini started laughing while Serena looked at brother and sister with an amused expression.

"What were you two doing? You're both a mess!" Serena exclaimed. Xantha and Darien grimaced in unison, and Rini squealed in amusment.

"Calm down, Rini," Darien told the little girl, swinging her up into his arms. "As for the way we look…" he continued, turning to Serena.

"Darien tried to knock me out with a pillow when I decided to make him get up before half three," Xantha finished, raking her long hair away from her face. "How come you're here, anyway? I thought we'd arranged to meet at Crown."

"We had," Rini replied, as Darien put her down. "But Kenji-papa has told us about a party at the American Embassy four days from now. Serena thinks we should…"

"We?!" Serena interrupted her. "I never said anything about _we_. You certainly _won't_ be going!" Xantha and Darien glanced at each other and went back to their separate rooms, ignoring the squabble that began. When they came back out, dressed, Serena and Rini were sitting at opposite ends of the couch, Rini with a pout on her face. Serena looked up at them. "You will come, won't you?" she asked. Darien nodded. "You too, Xantha," Serena added.

"Huh? Me? But I don't have anyone to go with!" Xantha exclaimed, as she opened the fridge, pulling out four bottles of mineral water. Serena laughed as she accepted one.

"Oh, that doesn't matter. Darien and I are the only people who do have someone to go with…namely, each other," she replied. Xantha grinned, opening the final bottle after handing the others to Darien and Rini.

"In that case, I'd love to go. Thanks for inviting me," she replied, fingering the pendant around her neck. Darien looked at it, then at her.

"Why are you always wearing that thing?" he asked. Xantha shrugged.

"Habit. I've always had it on…at least I think so. What do you care anyway? It's just a pendant." Darien nodded, unconvinced. Every morning, after she put the pendant on, he seemed to feel a dark aura surrounding her for a few seconds, then fading. He shrugged, dismissing the thought. Maybe he was just being paranoid.

"_**Perfect**_," Malachite exulted, looking at the orb. "Pretty little princess, going to the ball. What better place for a dark, mysterious stranger to appear?" The mocking laughter following that rhetorical question echoed through the hallways of the palace, as dark as the Negaverse itself.

Three days later, in Lita's apartment, Raye raised her head from the magazine she was reading to look at Xantha. "Xantha, d'you want to go shopping later and choose something to wear at the party tomorrow night?" she suggested. Xantha looked up from the jigsaw she and Rini were making.

"Thanks anyway, Raye, but I don't need to. I already have a dress," she replied cheerfully. That simple statement received strange looks from everyone. Lita looked over from where Darien was helping her in the kitchen.

"When did you get it, Xantha?" she asked, "You didn't get that formal sort of dress when we took you shopping for new clothes; I'm sure of that!" Xantha grinned.

"You're right there. I didn't _buy_ the dress…I _made_ it!" Rini stopped trying to figure out where the piece she was holding went and, jumping to her feet, wrapped her arms around Xantha's neck.

"Can I see it, Xantha? Please?" she asked. "I won't see it tomorrow 'cause I'm not going."

"Yeah, Xantha. Let's see it when we've eaten!" Mina exclaimed. Xantha laughed and shook her head.

"I'd show you, but it's not finished. Won't be 'till tomorrow evening," she replied. Rini's face fell.

"What about me?!" she wailed. "I won't see it, and I really want to!" Xantha twisted her position on the floor so she could put her arms around Rini.

"Don't cry, kiddo," she said gently, pulling Rini down onto her lap. "You can see it when Darien and I pick Serena up, O.K?" Rini sniffed and, wiping her eyes, nodded. However, she still looked slightly sad. Xantha snapped her fingers. "Tell you what, next time you come over to our place, I'll put it on and then you'll see it twice. How's that?" she suggested. Rini's face lit up.

"That'ud be great! Could I do your hair then?" she exclaimed. As Xantha nodded, Rini grinned. "Yay! You promise, right?" she asked. Xantha traced an 'x' on her chest with her finger.

"Cross my heart," she promised.

"Hi, Rini!" Darien said, as the little girl answered the door of the Tsukino house. Rini gave him a quick smile.

"Where's Xantha?!" she demanded as Ikuko Tsukino, Serena's mother, came to the door behind her. The woman shook her head.

"Rini! Your manners… And for the last time, who is Xantha?" Mrs. Tsukino asked, putting her hands on the little girl's shoulders. Rini dropped her gaze apologetically. Ikuko nodded, then smiled at the young man, stepping aside to let him into the hall. "Hello, Darien. I'm sorry about Rini's manners. She's been very excited all day. Something to do with someone called Xantha…"

"If we'd known you wanted to see her dress _that_ badly, Rini, we'd have come sooner!" Darien said with a laugh. "This is Xantha, Mrs. Tsukino," he continued, turning as the young woman came to the door, and drawing her forward. "She's my sister." Mrs. Tsukino nodded, comprehension lighting her eyes, as she and Rini switched their gaze to Xantha.

"WOW!" Rini squealed as Mrs Tsukino gasped. Xantha's dress was a deep, vibrant purple with a slim sash and delicate embroidery along the straps and across the top of the bodice, both gold. Long purple gloves and a deep navy velvet shawl finished off the look. "You look like a princess!" Rini exclaimed.

"A beautiful dress for a beautiful girl. Pleased to meet you, Xantha," Mrs. Tsukino complimented her, bringing a faint blush to Xantha's cheeks.

"The pleasure's all mine," she replied. "And thank you for the compliment." Serena came to the door just then, her father and brother behind her.

"See you later, Mom. Bye, Ri…Wow! Xantha, you look amazing!" she interrupted herself, making Xantha blush harder. Serena took hold of the young woman's shawl, examining the edge. "Oh, little crescent moons! They're lovely!" she told Xantha, admiring the embroidery.

"Serena, can we go _before_ you make me die of embarrassment?" Xantha asked in a pleading tone. Serena grinned at her.

"Of course we can… 'Bye, everyone," she called back to the four at the front door as she, Xantha and Darien walked down the path to Darien's car. The group waved as the car set off in the direction of the American Embassy.

Later that evening, Xantha went out onto the terrace outside the ballroom at the Embassy. She drew her shawl closer around her as the cool night air whipped her hair off her shoulders. Tilting her head back, eyes closed, she let the breeze flow across her face. Her thoughts drifted back to the start of the evening; remembering how embarrassed she had been, first at Serena's house and then outside the Embassy when they had met the other Scouts, about the praise her dress had brought her. Then her mind moved over the people she had met and talked to. /_It was nice talking to everybody, but I prefer the silence out here_/ she was thinking, when she heard a light step behind her./_So much for the silence_./ Xantha sighed, straightening.

"The night sky is beautiful, isn't it," a male voice observed. For some reason the voice sounded vaguely familiar. Xantha nodded her agreement, gazing out at the spread of stars; like a diamond necklace across the deep blue throat of the night.

"Yes, it is," she murmured, turning to face who had spoken. She saw a man about the same height as her, just a little taller, with white-blond hair and penetrating grey eyes. She didn't recall ever seeing him before, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she knew him. "Sorry, but have we met?" she asked hesitantly. For some reason the man's presence made her uneasy.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, we have. We do know each other…not very well, I'll admit. However, I'm _sure_ that will change," the man replied. There seemed to be a strange glint in his eyes – as though they were reflecting moonlight. An impossibility, considering the fact that there was no moon that night. Xantha took a step backward unconsciously. Her shawl slipped down her arms to her elbows, but she barely even noticed its movement. She was getting a weird feeling off the man and was trying to find a polite way to leave. _Really_ fast.

"Um-hmm. Well, nice talking to you," she said slowly, starting to back away. To her dismay, the man walked after her. There was nothing in his stance, expression or pace that was out of the ordinary but Xantha definitely wanted to get away from him. She bit her lip. What was she supposed to do? She noticed something strange as she neared the edge of the terrace. Although the sky was clear and the breeze had died, it was as though mist was eddying around the man, causing his outline to become hazy and indistinct. The air suddenly cleared and, to Xantha's horror, Malachite stood in front of her. "YOU!!" she exclaimed, her face paling. "NO!"

"Oh, yes," he replied, grabbing her shoulders. Xantha struggled to get loose, her shawl falling from her arms. "Settle down, princess," Malachite sneered, curling one arm firmly around her, gesturing with the other. "We're just going for a little trip."

"No!" Xantha cried desperately, as a portal opened in front of them. "Darien, help me…"

"Xantha, where are you?" Darien called, coming out onto the terrace. "Time we were heading home. Xantha?" He looked around, confused, as Serena and Lita joined him. "Well?" he asked them. They both shook their heads.

"We didn't find her, either," Ami reported as she, Mina and Raye joined them. Darien cast his eyes skyward, and then looked along the terrace again. An indistinct shape near the edge caught his eye. Walking over to it, he picked it up and shook it out, and the girls' eyes widened. "Is it hers?" Ami asked, worry in her voice. For answer Darien held it up so light from the ballroom fell on it. They all could see the white embroidery along the edges.

"Crescent moons," Darien replied. "It's hers, alright." He turned his back to the building and gazed out at the lights of Tokyo./_I don't care __**where**__ you are, Xan. We'll find you. I promise!_/


	4. Chapter 4

"Feeling better, I trust," a voice came out of the near-darkness that enshrouded the room. Xantha groaned, putting her hand to her head. "You fainted as I brought you through the portal. I had the idea you were a lot stronger than that." Malachite grew visible as he walked toward her.

"Damnit! I had hoped it was a dream." Xantha snapped, sitting up quickly. _**Too **_quickly! She yelped in pain as she hit her head on an overhanging ledge. Malachite smiled as he watched Xantha pressing both hands to her head. Strangely, the smile wasn't malicious. Xantha noticed that. "How come you aren't laughing at me?" she demanded, as she took her hands away from her scalp. A quick glance at her fingers assured her she wasn't bleeding.

"Hardly seems appropriate," Malachite replied. "That bump amounts to nothing beside what you're about to receive!" There was a peculier hesitatecy in his expression. However, Xantha wasn't concerned about his face – she was more worried abut the dark fire surrounding his hand. As if in response to the flame, exarcerbating her fright, her crystal pendant began to glow as it rested against her chest. Malachite reached out toward it. "I'm sorry for what this will feel like," he said, quiet regret in his voice. Then he pressed his hand against the pendant. Xantha screamed.

"Huh?" Darien jerked his head erect. He had sensed Xantha. He knew he had. She was in pain. But where was she?

"Ohhh…I never want to do that again," Malachite mumbled groggily, stumbling toward the wall. He hadn't realised the amount of power that his plan would have sapped out of him, and now felt like he'd been wrung out and left to dry. He leant one hand against the wall, as his legs felt as though they wouldn't be able to support him unaided for much longer, raising the other hand to his eyes exhaustedly. "That was…a really…unpleasant… experience," he asserted, relenting to the exhaustion in his limbs, falling to his knees and burying his face in both hands.

"What about the end result?" a female voice asked him. He wearily raised his head and looked over his shoulder at the source of the voice. "Are you telling me I'm worthless?" she continued. The power of the Negaverse was already swirling into Malachite, revitalising him. He smiled and, rising to his feet, crossed the room to the dark-haired young woman.

"No, from what I can see, you're worth this headache ten times over," he replied, extending his hand to her. "Will you permit me to assist you, my lady?" he offered with a grin. She grinned back at him.

"Who says I need assistance to stand up?" she replied, ignoring his hand as she rose to her feet. Her raven hair was as straight as a plumb line apart from her fringe, which was swept loosely to one side across her forehead. She wore the uniform of a Negaverse general, the trim lilac. /_There's certainly a difference, Princess_/ Malachite thought, looking her up and down with an approving smile. /_But I most definitely didn't expect one like this!_/ "Do me a favour, Lord Malachite?" she asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"Yes?" he responded.

"Stop staring at me!" she replied. Malachite laughed at the short command.

"Merely wondering what to name you. 'Your Highness' doesn't really seem appropriate," he replied cheerfully.

"I _beg_ your pardon!?" the young woman responded, her eyebrows disappearing under her fringe. "I don't know what royalty you're thinking of, but I am certainly not them!" she replied to his statement. "But you name me? I _do_ happen to have a name!" she continued in an offended tone.

"Oh?" Malachite replied, surprised. "What is it?" She looked briefly at him and he noticed that, for all the changes, her face was still Xantha's.

"Kunzite." Malachite laughed at the abrupt manner in which she said it.

"You forgot your title," he gently scolded her. "It's not just Kunzite. It's _**Lady**_ Kunzite." Kunzite grinned.

"Whatever…" she responded with a mock sigh. Then her face slid into a smile. A _very_ different smile to Xantha's. "Well, Lord Malachite, I can see that something apart from a headache is bothering you. May I ask what?" Malachite had stepped back from her smile. The expression had reminded him of Zoisite's smile – chill amusement, rather then open cheer. Then he smiled in satisfaction. That type of person was what he had been aiming for.

"Of course you may, my lady," he responded to his new ally's question. "Sailor Moon is what's bothering me. Sailor Moon and her team of Scouts. They are what's _giving_ me a headache…" he fumed. Kunzite had come up to him during this. Laying a finger to his lips, she smiled at him.

"If that's all that is annoying you, my lord, you can set your mind to rest. I'll deal with them. Now take that grumpy look off your face." Malachite looked appraisingly down at her. Kunzite's eyes were half-closed and the smile on her face was a smile of anticipation. Her mind was obviously miles away, already imagining the hunt. Malachite grinned suddenly.

"As my lady commands, Kunzite," he replied and, acting on an impish whim, wrapped his arms around her, claiming her mouth in a kiss. Kunzite's eyes snapped open and she resisted for a brief moment, before responding, kissing him back. When they broke away from each other, Kunzite smiled slyly.

"You certainly don't wait around, do you, Lord Malachite?" she purred, turning away from him slightly. Malachite fought down the pang of lust that swept through him. He placed his hands on Kunzite's shoulders, amazed at the strength of the dark aura he felt surrounding her.

"Kunzite, you must remember that the Scouts are a powerful adversary. They defeated the other three Shadow Generals and myself, _and_ they destroyed Beryl and Metallia."

Kunzite turned, her eyes blazing. She grabbed Malachite by the neck of his tunic and pulled him toward her. "_Lord_ Malachite," she snarled. "I _know_ they are powerful. That just makes the hunt more interesting. Don't _ever_ make the mistake of treating me as though I'm foolhardy, do you understand!?" Malachite nodded, too surprised by the sudden change in her to say anything. "Good," she whispered, her voice frightening in its intensity. "Oh, by the way, Lord Malachite…gotcha!" she murmured, sliding her hands around his neck and bringing his head down to meet hers…

"Darien, are you _sure_ she was in pain?" Serena asked, worried.

"I'm positive, why?" Darien replied, pacing restlessly down the middle of the floor, his brow furrowed in thought and worry. Lita shook her head and closed her eyes.

"Going up and down like that, he's making me dizzy," she muttered to no-one in particular. Luna heard her and glared in her direction.

"Lita, that doesn't help. If you don't have something constructive to add, kindly remain silent!" she commanded. Lita held up her hands, as though shielding herself from the reprimand.

"Relax, Luna. I'm not trying to be hurtful. I deal with stress and worry by trying to lighten the atmosphere. You know that," she replied. Luna nodded,

"Yes, I apologise. I'm very worried though. I believe that Artemis and I know where Xantha is."

"_**WHAT!?**_" came as an exclamation from everyone but Serena. Darien rounded on her, his face taut.

"I'm guessing Luna told you!" It came out as an accusation more than a question. Serena nodded reluctantly.

"Uh-huh. On the way here. They think she's in the Negaverse. Negative energy showed up on the night of the party. Darien…" Serena pleaded, as he turned away from her. "I only knew ten minutes ago!"

"It's not her fault, Darien," Artemis told the young man. "Luna told her so that she won't be caught by surprise if Malachite shows up."

"Why didn't you tell me!!" Darien demanded, anger in his voice.

"Darien, please calm down. We were going to, and we still aren't sure if we are right. But Serena _had_ to know – no matter how slim the possibility. She would be the first to be targeted by Malachite…" Luna was interrupted by the glass doors onto the balcony shattering, spraying the room with razor-sharp fragments and splinters.

"True, furball; although Lord Malachite won't be the one doing the job of collecting Pigtails there. That is _my_ duty…and my _pleasure_!" a female voice commented calmly. Everyone gaped in amazement at the figure on the balcony. Kunzite sneered at their expressions of shock. "What's the matter? Never seen a Shadow General before?" Raye was the first to recover.

"We destroyed all the Shadow Generals," she replied flatly. "Malachite somehow has come back, but I've never seen _you_ before." Kunzite threw back her head and laughed.

"I'd be surprised if you had, Sailor Mars. I'm a new warrior of the Dark Kingdom… and not as easy to defeat!"

"Prove it!" Lita challenged. "You better let Xantha go, if you know what's good for you!" Kunzite sprang lightly up to stand on the balcony rail.

"You want her, you're gonna have to find her!" she replied, and leapt down to street-level. The apartment immediately glowed with a rainbow of light as the girls and Darien transformed.

"Come back here, coward!" Sailor Venus cried, dashing out onto the balcony. Tuxedo Mask came out behind her.

"Never mind the name-calling, let's just take her up on her offer," he snapped, vaulting over the rail and down onto the deserted street. Kunzite grinned, her hair gleaming in the light of the street lamps.

"Lord Malachite wants the Scouts alive," she informed him conversationally. "But you, handsome…you're mine!" She smiled again at him, the expression one of pure viciousness, as the Scouts landed around him.

"If you're from the Negaverse, you're our enemy. Don't expect any mercy!" Sailor Mars snarled. Kunzite seemed amused at the threat. Amused…and full of anticipation.

"Alright. Come on!" she challenged.

"MARS FIRE IGNITE!"

"JUPITER THUNDER CRASH!"

Sailor Mars and Jupiter launched their attacks simultaneously, hoping to catch her between them, but Kunzite leapt above the energy, and with a simple backflip, landed beyond the scorched ground.

"Is that the best you can do?" she jeered. "Try this, Sailor Scouts…NEGA-BOLT!" A beam of jet-black energy shot from her hand toward the group, and they scattered to avoid being hit. Kunzite shook her head, "Pathetic! Why I am wasting my time on you, I don't know. Train hard, you weaklings, then I'll face you again." With that final insult, Kunzite turned on her heel and raced off in the direction of Mikanna Park.

"Come _on_!" Sailor Moon exclaimed, setting off after her. "We have to get Xantha back!" The other Scouts and Tuxedo Mask took off after the two girls.

Reaching the park, Sailor Moon saw Kunzite open a portal and calmly step through into the Negaverse. Hearing a sound behind her, Sailor Moon glanced over her shoulder to see the Scouts and Tuxedo Mask coming up to her. She jerked her head toward the portal and received nods in return. They dived through the portal just before it shut. Now they had to pray that they would find Xantha, and that she would know how to open it again.


	5. Chapter 5

"Welcome back, Sailor Scouts," a familiar voice greeted them. The group whipped around to see Malachite lounging comfortably on Beryl's throne. "This is an unexpected surprise…" he continued. Then his expression twisted into a mocking smirk. "How gullible can you get?!" he demanded. Tuxedo Mask drew himself up.

"Sometimes, being someone's friend means you have to do crazy things," he replied flatly. Malachite muffled a mocking laugh.

"How noble of you. That really gets me inside…no, excuse me. That makes me nauseous!" Tuxedo Mask and the Scouts scowled at that. Sailor Moon stepped to the forefront of the group.

"What have you done with Xantha?" she demanded shortly. Malachite muffled a laugh again, a taunting grin on his lips.

"You already know," he replied. Sailor Moon nodded in agreement.

"True, we know that you've made her a prisoner here – again. What we don't know is how she is. Let us see her…or _else_!" Malachite shook his head, rising to his feet. He moved away from the throne, stepping down from the dais and walking toward the group.

"You've already seen her."

"WHAT?! No, we haven't!" Sailor Moon retorted.

"I suppose I have to prove that I'm telling the truth," Malachite sighed. He looked over his shoulder, toward the throne. "Milady, if you would be so good as to join us," he suggested. A darker silhouette moved in the shadows behind the throne.

"As you command, Lord Malachite," a familiar voice responded and Kunzite appeared in the lighted area. She stepped down from the dais and moved toward the group. Reaching Malachite, she stopped just behind and slightly to one side of him. Malachite drew her forward, moving to stand directly behind her.

"Now," he told the group, sweeping Kunzite's fringe off her face and holding it against the crown of the young woman's head. "Look at that face and tell me you haven't seen Xantha." The group looked at him with expressions that seemed to say, 'What do you take us for? Total _idiots_?' Malachite's face remained bleak, stating louder then any words that he was serious. The group switched their collective gaze to Kunzite. The Scouts' mouths dropped open and Tuxedo Mask paled.

"What have you done to her?" he exclaimed. Both Malachite and Kunzite grinned at the confusion in his voice. Malachite released his grip on Kunzite's hair and it fell back into place as Malachite gently slid his arms around her shoulders. Kunzite leant back slightly into his embrace, causing Sailor Moon to shudder.

"What _have_ I done to you, Kunzite?" Malachite asked in an amused voice. Kunzite glanced at Tuxedo Mask and pretended to consider the question. She suddenly grinned and moved away from him.

"That's an easy question, my lord. You gave me _POWER_!" Malachite smiled and the Scouts gasped in horror as she began to glow with a dark fire. Darien shuddered, her words calling forward a sense of déjà-vu, from the vague memory he had of the time he had spent as a servant of the Dark Kingdom. "That I am eternally grateful for, my love." Sailor Moon clenched her fist at the words. How _dare_ Malachite twist Xantha's mind and heart like this? Serena wasn't going to let it continue!

"That's _IT_!! Malachite, turn her back. RIGHT _**NOW**_!" she commanded. Kunzite regarded her coldly.

"No-one, least of all _you_, tells Lord Malachite what to do," she hissed. "And I will not let it go unpunished!" A bolt of energy flashed from Kunzite's hand with no warning, and Sailor Moon leapt out of the way, moments before it impacted where she had been standing. She gaped in disbelief at the broken stone. /_Kunzite means business_/ she thought, swallowing hard. /_I have a feeling we're in __**deep**__ trouble!_/ "Had enough yet, Sailor Moon?" Kunzite enquired solicitously.

"I won't give up!" Sailor Moon replied, gripping her sceptre more firmly in both hands. "I _won't_ fail!! Xantha's in there somewhere and I'm gonna find her!" Kunzite smiled mockingly, and balls of dark flame surrounded her hands.

"Your choice…" she stated calmly. "…Your _funeral_!" was finished in a fierce tone. Kunzite brought her hands together, and the globes of flame merged into one larger fireball. As she raised her arms, obviously preparing to throw the devastating force surrounding her hands, Malachite laid a hand on her shoulder. Kunzite glanced back at him enquiringly. "Yes, my lord?"

"That is _my_ right," he reminded her, gentle rebuke in his voice. Kunzite lowered her hands, the flames dying.

"Forgive me, my lord. It slipped my mind," she said contritely. Malachite smiled.

"It doesn't matter, just don't do it again." As Kunzite nodded her obedience, he turned to face the Scouts, and his smile grew vicious. "Good-bye, you little nuisances. You've interfered in my plans for the last time!" Malachite's features were twisted into a bloodthirsty sneer as he pointed both palms at the Scouts, and they were suddenly frozen in place. "I'll take the crystal off your dead body, Sailor Moon!" Malachite told Serena in a gloating tone, as a beam of intense energy flashed from his eyes toward the group. Sailor Moon and the Scouts paled, unable to move as the deadly attack bore down on them. Sailor Moon opened her mouth to scream…

"_**NO**_!!" Tuxedo Mask exclaimed, throwing himself between the Scouts and the beam. The beam hit him full in the chest and he fell without a sound. As he hit the ground, the stasis holding the Scouts in place vanished.

"_**DARIEN**_! NOOOOO!!" Sailor Moon cried, dropping to her knees and gathering Tuxedo Mask's motionless body into her arms, tears streaming down her face. The other Scouts didn't move; their faces etched into various expressions of shock. Malachite laughed at the scene before him.

"Touching, isn't it?" he threw back over his shoulder. Kunzite didn't respond for a moment, stepping forward to stand beside him. Staring mutely at Tuxedo Mask's body, she took several more steps toward the group. Sailor Jupiter noticed the movement and looked at her, her face numb.

"Going to kill the rest of us now, are you?" she demanded. Kunzite shook her head, moving back, stopping a half-metre in front of Malachite. Malachite nodded in approval.

"I'm glad to see that you remember that I wish to destroy the Sailor Scouts and their precious princess," he told her.

"Malachite…" Kunzite said hesitantly, her hand going to her throat and closing around a cord that disappeared under the neck of her uniform.

"Yes, my love?" Malachite replied, looking at her, or rather, looking at her back. Kunzite's grip on the cord tightened.

"_**SHUT UP**_!!" she yelled, pulling hard on the cord. As something black flew out from under her uniform, she whirled and punched Malachite squarely in the face. Malachite staggered back a few paces, and he and the Scouts gaped at the transformation occurring before them. Kunzite's long hair didn't change in colour or thickness, but it no longer hung dead straight and the fringe had disappeared. It now rippled down her back in soft waves. Her uniform also began to change, morphing before their eyes. The grey trousers and tunic dissolved, replaced by a deep purple dress and matching gloves. The Scouts gasped in a mixture of joy and amazement, while Malachite recoiled from the ice-cold stare that fell on him. "Don't _ever_ do that to me again!" Xantha ordered, her voice harsh and cold. "Don't ever do that again, period!!" She turned her back on him and swiftly came to her brother's side. Sailor Mars immidiatly moved forward, placing herself squarely between Malachite and the group. Falling to her knees opposite Sailor Moon, Xantha took Tuxedo Mask's hand in her left hand as she placed her right on the scorched mark on his shirt, her eyes full of unshed tears. She suddenly frowned and moved her hand slightly. "He's still alive! I can feel his heart-beat," she exclaimed. "It's awfully slow, though," she continued, worry in her voice. Xantha dropped the limp hand and reached across Darien's body to take hold of Serena's shoulders. "Sailor Moon," she said, something in her voice causing Serena to raise her head. As their eyes met, Xantha smiled determinedly. "Don't let my brother die," she commanded, her face mirroring the grief on Serena's, but with hope visible as well. "You have the ability to save him, so _use_ it!"

"You – you t-think I c-can?" Sailor Moon asked, her voice still full of tears and unsure. Xantha nodded emphatically.

"I'm sure of it!" she replied. As Sailor Moon looked around at the other Scouts, they all nodded in agreement, their expressions encouraging. "Come on, Sailor Moon!" Xantha urged her. "You _can_ save him…I know you can! It _is_ possible – but you must have enough confidence to try!" Sailor Moon nodded, lowering Darien's head to the floor and rising to her feet.

"O.K," she said, firmly grasping the Moon sceptre. "Moon Healing ESCALATION!" she cried, a burst of pure white light coming from her sceptre and washing over Tuxedo Mask's still form. His shirt mended itself, as though it was new off the shelf. The light died and everyone's eyes fastened on his face. Nothing happened for a few seconds, and Serena's eyes dimmed behind a film of tears. However, the silence was suddenly broken as Tuxedo Mask coughed. He sat up and rubbed a hand across his face.

"What happened?" he asked, sounding dazed. "I remember being hit by that beam, and then…XANTHA?!" he exclaimed, noticing who was kneeling at his side for the first time. Xantha grinned, rising to her feet and helping him up.

"Feel O.K?" she queried, concern in her voice. Tuxedo Mask nodded. As Xantha spoke, Venus had retrieved Tuxedo Mask's hat from the floor and offered to him.

"I feel fine," he replied, taking the hat. Looking at Serena, he smiled. "I'm guessing I have you to thank for that, right?" Sailor Moon nodded in response to his gaze.

"But Xantha was the one who gave me hope, and the idea to use the power of the Crystal…"

"Speaking of which," Malachite's voice broke in harshly. "Even the Silver Imperium Crystal cannot cure death!" Sailor Jupiter looked at him.

"Are you nuts?!" she demanded. "Tuxedo Mask's alive!"

"True," Malachite responded, anger in his voice. "But if I can't have Xantha, no-one can!!" An intense beam of energy flashed directly toward Xantha from his eyes. Xantha recoiled in horror and threw up her hands as though to shield herself from that lethal attack. Something dangling from her hand glittered in the dim light and Malachite's face blanched. "NO!" he cried, just before the beam hit the pendant he had used to twist Xantha. The black crystal exploded, throwing Xantha, Tuxedo Mask and the Scouts backward. A light, brighter than the explosion, flashed out from the shattered remains of the pendant on the floor, condensed into an incandescent orb, and flew toward Malachite. It hit him in the chest, and he glowed with a pure white aura for a second before the light disappeared without a trace. There was a moment of stunned silence; then Malachite cried out, an animal-like sound of absolute despair and fear, turned and fled from the throne room, further into the palace.

"What on earth was THAT?!" Sailor Mercury demanded, her voice numb. Xantha was shaking. She opened her mouth to answer to answer Mercury's shocked question, but no sound came out. Shutting her mouth, she swallowed and licked her lips.

"Malachite is vulnerable now," she replied. "That pendant contained his life energy. That's now he managed to come back. When you defeated him, his body was destroyed, but not his essence. Breaking the pendant returned his life energy to his body. If he's killed now, that's it…he's dead. Fini." The group around her looked stunned as they realised that Xantha had been used as a sort of guard for Malachite's life. Xantha nodded wearily. "Yeah, I know. His essence being it that crystal is what made him able to shape me to his will. Look at it." The group looked at the shards on the floor and their eyes widened. The splinters resembled glass. They were colourless and transparent, no longer black.

"Was it the…the part of him…that was in it, that made it black?" Sailor Mercury asked slowly. Xantha nodded shortly.

"That's what sucks about being a Crystal Child." The blank looks on the faces around her told her that no one had the faintest idea what she was talking about. She sighed. "I'll explain everything, but not here."

"Can you get us out?" Sailor Mars queried, "I mean…well, you know. You aren't a Shadow General anymore." Xantha shrugged.

"We're about to find out if I can, aren't we?" she replied, coming to her feet and moving to the remains of her pendant. Lifting the chain from amongst the shards and splinters, she fastened it around her neck then gently brushed the remaining pieces together and into her hand. Straightening, she concentrated, her brow furrowed. Xantha could feel a faint echo of Kunzite, and Kunzite's power, within her. That last reminder wasn't staying inside her, and it was getting them out of the Negaverse. That, she was _sure_! Her determination seemed to work. Light blazed from the shards in her hands and she could feel the power flowing out of her. A portal opened in front of the group and they wasted no time in leaving the gloom of the Dark Kingdom. Xantha was last out and, as she reached Tokyo, the last vestiges of dark power left her and she toppled slowly forward, her strength giving out. Tuxedo Mask caught her before she hit the ground, then the group left the park and, en masse, headed for Darien's apartment. Behind them, unnoticed, the portal slowly closed. Within the Negaverse, Malachite fell to his knees.

"WHY?!" his anguished question rang through the palace, but received no answer.


	6. Chapter 6

"…And a 'Crystal Child' is…?" Serena prompted the following morning. The group had gathered at the Cherry Hill temple, and were enjoying the sunshine while Xantha told them what she could remember of being a warrior of the Dark Kingdom. Xantha stretched, loving the warmth. She wanted to forget the events of the previous night, but knew she owed the girls and her brother an explanation of her comment.

"Basically, it means that I am affected by whichever crystal is in my immediate vicinity. You don't get much more immediate than having something buried in your chest. Malachite's essence in that crystal meant that I, essentially, became the same as him. If I had sold _my_ soul to Beryl, that's who I'd be; Kunzite. Exact same…except that my physical features wouldn't be different…maybe. I think that physical change was caused by the fact that Malachite used a dark crystal that, in effect, was _him_. If he'd just used a piece of crystal from the Negaverse, I believe I wouldn't have changed. If you noticed, the change was that _my_ hairstyle resembled _his_, dead straight with a fringe. The only differences in the style were that my hair's way longer than his, and mine's black, not white. However, I'm not sure about that. Maybe my features _would_ change." Serena nodded, satisfied, but Ami's thirst for information wasn't quenched.

"So what would happen if the Imperium Crystal was the one closest to you?" she asked, intrigued. Xantha grinned.

"Always the curious one, eh, Ami?" she chuckled. Sobering, her face became thoughtful. "To be honest, though, I don't know. I suppose I'd gain the ability to do some of the things Serena can do with it…deflect negative energy…maybe heal, that sort of thing. But I'm just guessing, so don't take that as read. I honestly don't know, and wouldn't know unless we tried it…which I am _not_ going to do!" Mina nodded vehemently at that.

"We've had enough confusion already. Let's keep things calm! We don't want you to suddenly turn into a huge Moon Sceptre!" she exclaimed. The group broke into much needed laughter at that.

"What does everyone say to some ice-cream?" Darien queried with a grin, "My treat." Serena jumped to her feet.

"Alright! Let's go!" Xantha laughed at Serena's standard reaction.

"For once, I think I'll be childish too," she agreed. "Can I have two scoops, Unca' Dawien?" Darien laughed at the 'little girl' voice Xantha adopted.

"We'll see," he replied with a hint of promise. Xantha grinned at him, then pretended to pout.

"Tease!"

"I'm getting edgy." Raye looked up from the clothes rack she was browsing through.

"Why? What d'you think of this one, Xan?" she asked. Xantha looked over her shoulder at the top Raye was holding up.

"Shrimp pink is _not_ a colour I will voluntarily wear," she said, disgusted. Raye shrugged, replacing the top on the rack.

"O.K, what about that one?" she suggested, pointing at a magenta top instead. Xantha nodded.

"That's fine." Taking it off the rack, Raye looked at Xantha. She had turned her back to the store, and was once again staring out the window they were beside.

"You _are_ on edge. What's wrong?" Raye demanded. Xantha sighed.

"I just _know_ that Malachite's gonna try something…I can feel it," Xantha replied. "My nerves are in ruins. I keep jumping at shadows…" Raye laughed.

"Relax, Xantha. When he shows up, we'll wipe the floor with him, _permanently_! Bye-bye Malachite plus bye-bye problem equals no more Xantha being spooked. End of story!" Xantha grinned.

"Aren't we confident! Pride comes before a fall, Raye…" Raye grinned back at her,

"We did it before, we can do it again…and this time there's no Beryl or Metallia to worry about!" Xantha laughed, and the two girls headed for the cash desk, chatting calmly. Grey eyes glinted as a tall, white-blond young man watched them leave the shop.

"This time, Sailor Mars, I won't make the same mistakes. If I were you, I wouldn't be so cocky." A bitter smirk twisted his lips, as Malachite resumed his own form. "You took Kunzite, and it's thanks to you that Zoisite died. You're all going to regret the fact that you crossed me!" Opening a portal, Malachite cast a look back at the two ebony-haired girls as they rounded a corner, "This time, princess, I'll get those brats and your brother out of the way first!"


	7. Chapter 7

"Goddess on a mountain top, burning like a silver flame…" Xantha sang, separating another long strand from the main body of Mina's hair. "I need blue this time, V," she told the blond girl, interrupting herself. Mina handed her a blue ribbon from the bunch she was holding. Xantha tied it around the hair she was holding and started wrapping the ribbon down the strand toward the end.

"How long will this take?" Mina asked, watching Ami run after the ball she had missed. "We're missing out on the game." Xantha grinned as she tied off the ribbon.

"You've got a lot of hair, V. I'm nearly finished though…"

"That's one way of putting it," a male voice agreed calmly from behind the pair. Xantha dropped the banded strand of hair, leaping to her feet and whirling to face the source of the voice. Mina was already glaring at Malachite.

"Why don't you go lose yourself before I have to hurt you!?" she demanded. Malachite laughed mockingly.

"Is that meant to frighten me? Oh, I'm so scared!" he returned with a sneer.

"You should be," Serena told him coldly, coming up to the two girls, the rest of the Scouts and Darien flanking her. "We know you're vulnerable now." Malachite scowled at her, sparks snapping through his hair and along his fingers.

"You get one warning, Sailor Moon. Let me have Xantha…or else!" Serena and the other four girls responded by transforming.

Darien pulled Xantha away from the Scouts. "Get out of here, Xan!" he told her, his voice urgent.

"But…" Xantha began.

"NOW!" Darien cut her off, transforming and turning to face Malachite. Xantha hesitated for a second, then turned and ran. She was almost at the entrance to the park when she felt a strange sensation deep in her heart. She dashed outside the park and leant against the wall, trying to breathe at a normal pace despite the heat welling up in her chest."It…it won't stop…" she gasped out. "What…is…this…?" Suddenly, with no warning, an incandescent blue light blazed through the fabric of her top. "What the…?" Xantha demanded, stunned. Before she could get any further, a blue crystal ripped through her top, the material mending itself in front of her eyes, rewoven as though the hole had never existed. Xantha stared at the glowing blue stone, hovering before her at eye-level. It reminded her of the Silver Imperium Crystal. She lifted her hand, as though in response to some silent call. As her fingers closed around the stone, she suddenly felt completed. "I…I can help," she murmured, bringing the stone to her chest. Somehow, she knew what she had to do.

"SKY CRYSTAL POWER…PEGASUS ARISE!"

Bright blue light blazed from the crystal, enveloping her. Loose blue hipsters and green t-bar shoes morphed into tight white trousers and black, heeled, knee boots. A striped T-shirt became a black top with a winged horse in silver and white, and white elbow gloves appeared out of nothing. A black cloak, lined in red, flowed from her shoulders and a white mask, like her brother's, covered her eyes. A whip had appeared in her hand, the crystal set in the hilt. Xantha looked down at herself. "Oh…wow," she murmured.

"MARS FIRE IGNITE!"

Sailor Mars' voice snapped her out of her reverie, and she spun, leaping up to the top of the wall. The sight greeting her made her pause. The Scouts and Tuxedo Mask seemed to be coming out worst and Xantha bit her lip. /_This is my fault_/ she thought guiltily./_Well, now I can do something about it!_/

"Hey, Silver-top! Didn't anyone ever teach you not to pick on kids, even if they're super-powered," she cried out. The battle paused as everyone looked up at her. Malachite's face was expressionless, but his eyes flashed in anger as he met her cold stare; the shard of solid dark energy he held dissolving before he could ram it through Sailor Venus' chest.

"Take their side, share their fate!" he snarled. Xantha sprang out of the path of the dark energy he sent her way. Resuming her feet and leaping down off the wall, she shook her head.

"That's no way to make friends, but if that's how you want it…" she said, interlocking her fingers before her. "CRYSTAL…" At the words, a glittering sliver light appeared in front of her chest. "…HOOVES!" As Xantha threw her hands wide, the silver light sped toward Malachite in horseshoe-shaped comets. Malachite screamed as he was struck repeatedly in the face with the searing light. He staggered back, letting go of Sailor Venus' hair. Xantha had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself from laughing at the look of outraged indignation on Mina's face. "You O.K, kid?" she asked, pulling Sailor Venus to her feet. The fair-haired scout nodded.

"Yeah, fine. Who are you?" Xantha saw a bolt of energy Malachite had just fired coming toward them, and yanked Sailor Venus out of the way. The bolt hit a tree and it exploded into burning splinters. The Scouts gaped at the destroyed tree.

"That could have been you, so at the moment I guess you can call me the person who's stopping that guy turning you into a bonfire." Xantha grimly faced the Negaverse general again, her face cold. Her right hand, holding her whip, crossed across her chest on level with her shoulders. Her left hand she had above her head, arm straight, palm facing the sky. "SKY FIRE!" she cried, bringing her left hand down sharply, her arm still rigid, so her palm was now pointing at Malachite. At the same time, her right arm lashed up, holding the whip so the stone was pointing at the sky. An incandescant blue beam shot from the crystal up to the azure sky and a sapphire-blue stream of fire boiled from her gloved palm, straight as an arrow, toward Malachite. He leapt out of the way, but the flame caught the edge of his cloak, and the smell of singed fabric rose into the air.

"You're strong, girl. Do you have a name? I like to know whom I'm fighting," he told Xantha, grudging respect in his voice. A tight little grin appeared on Xantha's face.

"Call me Pegasus. Guardian of the Sky Crystal," she replied shortly. Malachite's eyes widened in startled recognition.

"So Princess Xantha has her family's protector now. We'll meet again, Pegasus, but next time…I'll be ready for you!" he stated, opening a portal, and disappearing into the gloom of the Negaverse.

"Don't think I won't be expecting you," Pegasus told the closing portal. She flicked her whip into the air and caught it in coils as it came down. The Scouts and Tuxedo Mask looked at each other. Venus was the first to speak.

"Thanks…uh…Pegasus. You saved my life." Pegasus smiled.

"Don't worry about it. I know you'd do the same for me." Tuxedo Mask spoke up.

"What did Malachite mean about 'Xantha having her family's protector'?" he asked, his voice bewildered. Pegasus straightened, and bowed to him.

"I am Pegasus, guardian of the Sky Crystal and Protector of the royal family of Earth. Malachite knows that if he wants to do anything to Crown Princess Xantha, he has to get through me first," she replied. /_However, he doesn't know that Princess Xantha and Pegasus are one and the same. Neither do you, and I'm going to do my level best to keep it that way_./ Pegasus smiled at the group. "I'm sure we will meet again. If you ever need help, I always will be ready to aid you." Turning and flicking the whip, Pegasus caught the branch of a tree and swung herself over the wall. Landing on the other side in a crouch, she stood and touched the crystal to her chest. The transformation reversed, and Xantha stood holding the blue crystal in her left hand. /_Darien will kill me if I'm not at home when he gets there_/ she thought, setting off for the apartment at a run.

"Xantha…" Darien's voice started before he had even fully opened the door. Xantha looked up from where she was curled up on the couch, reading.

"Yeah? What happened?" Darien tossed his jacket down on a chair.

"We won, if that's what you mean. But we had help. You didn't see a tall black-haired girl in a cloak pass you by any chance, did you?"

"The only black-haired girls I've seen today are Raye and me. Why?" Xantha replied to his question. "Who helped you, anyway?"

"The girl I just asked you had you seen," Darien replied, irritation in his voice. "Do I usually ask questions about girls for no reason?" Xantha laughed.

"Well, if you do, Serena isn't going to be too pleased!" Darien laughed in spite of himself.

"Well, if you ever do see her, tell us where, O.K?" Xantha nodded.

"Sure."


	8. Chapter 8

"Drat, _drat_…DRAT!!" Malachite yelled, slamming his fist into the wall. "Now I've got Pegasus to deal with too?! I know life isn't meant to be easy, but this is ridiculous!" He muttered furiously for a while, pacing indignantly up and down, then turned and headed for the room where Queen Beryl's orb now resided as an idea came to him. He laid his hand on the crystal ball, wincing as the movement reminded him it wasn't a good idea to punch solid-stone walls. "What does Xantha do now?" he asked it. The darkness within the globe began to swirl. The orb clouded, then cleared to show Xantha and Rini walking into Crown. "Video games…" he mused. "Now that's an idea that's antiquated. Still…the old ones do have the charm of working. And, this time, I'm after an idea. I don't have to worry about sapping energy." He grinned and held up his hand, then concentrated. The air surrounding his hand began to cloud, then suddenly condensed, forming a video game cartridge. "Perfect," he muttered, as his form began to shift into the appearance he used to move around undetected. "I think that place could use a new game." Opening a portal, he formed a box around the cartridge. The picture showed a girl in sliver and grey armour, black hair flowing smoothly away from her face. The words 'Dark Warrior' in black stood out against the smoky red background. Closing the portal, Malachite straightened the suit his alter ego was wearing and headed toward Crown. /_The best thing is that Xantha can't remember the man she encountered on the night of that party, so I don't need to create a new form_/ he thought smugly, brushing white-blond hair out of dark grey eyes. He paused outside the building, marshalling his thoughts, then pushed open the door and strolled in. A blond young man looked up from where he and a group comprised of Raye, Ami, Xantha and Rini were watching Serena try to beat a monster that was taking everything her character was dishing out.

"'Scuse me, ladies," he said with a grin, leaving them and walking toward Malachite. "Hello – I'm Andy. Can I help you?" Malachite smiled calmly.

"I hope so," he replied. "Could you tell me where to find the person who owns this arcade? I've a game they might be interested in." Andy grinned.

"I'll get my father. He owns this place." Malachite smiled his thanks then, as Andy headed toward a door marked 'Private', he walked over to the group surrounding Serena just as 'Game Over' flashed up onto the screen.

"Oh, come on! There is NO WAY I deserved that! I was _winning_!!" Serena told the machine indignantly.

"It's always that way, isn't it?" Malachite suggested. The group jumped and whirled to face him, surprise evident in their faces. "Sorry, did I startle you?" he apologised with a smile. Xantha smiled back at him.

"Just a bit." Malachite nodded.

"Again, my apologies. Do you all enjoy video games?" Serena and Rini nodded vehemently and Ami smiled. Raye shrugged.

"They're all right." Xantha grinned at Raye's disinterested tone – the entire group knew the trainee priestess enjoyed video games as much as any of them. Xantha turned back to the newcomer.

"A great way of blowing off steam…and some of them have a good background to the point of the game," she offered her opinion. Malachite smiled.

"What does this one look like?" he asked, holding up the box. The group looked at it.

"Dark Warrior… Well, the name sounds interesting – in fact, it's tantalisingly vague," Xantha replied. "What's the story?" Malachite handed her the box. Turning it over, Xantha read the paragraph on the back aloud. "The seven mystical stones, which safeguard the world, have been stolen. You are the warrior Kuranda, the only person who has a chance of retrieving them. With only your skill and your winged horse to help you, you must find the stones and save the world. Fight your way through myriad different levels, battling both magical and mundane opponents. Dark Warrior – the worlds only hope for salvation. A magical beat-em-up…sounds pretty cool," Xantha finished with a grin. "Yes, Rini?" she added, looking down at the girl. Rini stopped tugging on Xantha's T-shirt.

"What does 'mundane' mean?" she asked with a smile. Xantha smiled back, as Raye took the box from her.

"It means 'ordinary'. In other words, the characters don't have any special powers," she replied. Andy appeared back in the arcade and came over to them, followed by a tall man. The man offered Malachite his hand.

"Andy tells me you have a game you think I might be interested in putting in the arcade?" he asked. Malachite nodded. Gesturing to the box the girls were poring over, he grinned.

"That one." Andy's father grinned back at him.

"I see. Excuse me, girls," he said with a smile, lifting the box out of Raye's hands. "Mind if I see if you're going to be able to play it here or not?" Raye flushed.

"Go ahead," she replied, embarrassed. Xantha grinned as the man looked the game over.

"I hope you do get it. It looks pretty good." Andy's father nodded.

"I agree with you there, Ms…Shields, wasn't it?" Xantha nodded.

"Still is."

"Guess you didn't study, huh, Serena?" Lita suggested, looking at the grade marked on the top of the test Serena was looking gloomily through as they walked down the street. Serena glared at her friend, crumpling the paper and raising her hand to throw it over her shoulder.

"If that hits me in the face, Buns, I'll start thinking you're doing it on purpose," Darien's voice came from behind them. Serena swung around, and threw her arms around his neck.

"Hi, Darien!" Before anyone could say anything more, Xantha's voice hailed them from further down the street.

"Hey, guys!" she greeted them as she reached the group. "Guess what! Crown's got 'Dark Warrior' available to play!" Serena unlocked her arms from around Darien's neck to turn and stare at his sister.

"Really?" Xantha nodded emphatically.

"Yeah. It's really cool…and tough! I had only just got onto the second level when I got aced. It was like my opponents were waiting for me to arrive there…never mind how tough it was to get through the first level!" Serena grinned, and started off down the street.

"Sounds like my type of game!" Xantha laughed, as she fell in beside her.

"No offence to Mina, but this is way tougher than the Sailor V game!" Serena looked at Xantha in disbelief. Xantha shook her head. "I'm not joking in the slightest!"

"Cool!!" was Serena's response. Xantha cast her eyes skyward in mock despair.

"Don't say I didn't warn you!"

Half an hour later…

"I'm out of quarters…and I still haven't passed the first level!" Serena said with a sigh of defeat, swivelling on the stool to face the rest of the group. Xantha grinned.

"It has to be said, Serena. Told you so!" Serena winced.

"Please don't. You were right, I was wrong – please, please don't gloat," she replied. "I'd better go home. I've got homework." The rest of the girls had the same reason to leave and Xantha and Darien were left in the arcade. Darien and Andy fell into conversation, whereas Xantha slid into the seat in front of 'Dark Warrior'. She was determined to get a little further than the start of Level Two. Soon she was hard at it, oblivious to her surroundings. Xantha didn't even notice the tall figure behind her…until 'Game Over' appeared on the screen.

"This thing is so damn hard," she sighed, slouching slightly.

"That's the point…" a voice agreed, just over her head. Xantha gasped, and whipped her head around to face the young man behind her. "…You, however, seem to enjoy the challenge. You were completely wrapped up in it." Xantha grinned rather ruefully, rising to her feet.

"Guess it's just the way I am. You're the man who sold the game to Crown, aren't you?" In response to the brief nod her question elicited, she smiled, offering her hand to Malachite. "I'm Xantha Shields. Pleased to meet you, Mr…?" she left it hanging. Malachite took the proffered hand in a firm shake.

"Michael Kite," he replied. "Pleasure's all mine, Ms. Shields." Xantha smiled at him.

"Your hand's so cold…" she observed. Then she smiled. "But they say cold hands are the sign of a warm heart. So, Mr. Kite…do _you_ like video games…?"

"Xan, are you coming home today or tomorrow?" Darien demanded. "Sorry to interrupt your conversation, but it's about time we had dinner."

"Oh…er…sorry, Darien. Guess I lost track of time," Xantha apologised.

"I'll say," Darien muttered, half under his breath. Xantha grimaced at him.

"Be nice. Michael, this is my brother, Darien. Darien, this is Michael Kite." Darien nodded to Malachite.

"Nice to meet you. Xantha…can we _go_?!" Xantha shook her head, a faint frown creasing her forehead.

"You've got no manners, you know that?"

"I'm starving," was Darien's reply. Xantha cast her eyes skyward.

"You can cook…and it's your turn.

"Yeah, but what's the point in me cooking something if it's just going to get cold on the plate, waiting for you to come home?" Darien demanded. Malachite smiled.

"Your brother's right, Xantha. Most likely, we'll see each other again. We can continue our conversation then." Xantha grinned at him.

"If you're sure you don't mind…" Malachite shook his head. "Then I'll look forward to it," she finished, following Darien out of the arcade.

"As will I, Princess," Malachite murmured, leaving the street outside the arcade for the Negaverse. "As will I…"

"Darien, would you _quit_ complaining. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself…and Michael's a perfect gentleman!" Xantha snapped at her brother, as she secured her midnight hair in a bun. "I'm allowed date, and we're just going out to dinner. For God's sake, grow up! You're acting like a jealous big brother and I'm older than you!" Darien glared at his sister's back.

"You can't be too careful. I'll come along to keep an eye on you…" he began, when Xantha cut him off.

"Out of the question, bro," she said decidedly. Xantha turned around to face her brother with a smile. "Please, be sensible," she pleaded. "You told me about what's-her-name…Pegasus…if she's our family's protector, then she'll keep an eye on me. Don't make it a situation of too many cooks spoiling the broth!" Darien finally surrendered.

"O.K, O.K, I give. Enjoy yourself."

"I'm sure I will," Xantha replied, as someone knocked at the door. Opening it, she smiled a welcome, as she stood back to let Malachite in. "Hi, Michael!" Malachite smiled back cheerfully.

"Good evening, Xantha. You look lovely." Xantha blushed.

"Thank you," she replied, her voice shy. Darien grinned, his irritation with his sister gone. Xantha was acting the way she had on receiving compliments the night of the embassy party – unsure how to accept them. However, Malachite was right. Xantha did look lovely. Her dress was made of a metallic blue material, with a panel of translucent material embroidered with roses in metallic red at the bottom. Her hair was piled high on the back of her head, in a bun, secured with two ruby-red chopsticks, while a strand hung loose on each side of her face, softening the look of tension on the rest of her hair. Malachite wasn't far behind her. He was in a dark navy-blue suit, contriving to look smart, yet relaxed. Nodding to Darien, he crooked his arm invitingly.

"Shall we go?" he asked with a grin. Xantha nodded, picking up her coat. Malachite took it from her, holding it open for her to put on. She smiled her thanks as she slid her arms into the sleeves. Xantha grinned at Darien, catching up her handbag as she and Malachite left the apartment. "Have a nice evening, bro." Darien stood at the door as Malachite and Xantha headed for the lift.

"Same to the both of you," he replied, shutting the door. Sitting down with a book, he firmly put any worries about his sister's safety out of his head.

"That was delicious," Xantha told Malachite, leaning back in her chair with a sigh of content. "I'm having a great time."

"I'm glad," he replied. He was having a wonderful time too, and it was annoying him. He shouldn't be enjoying himself. Xantha was his target, something to be obtained. He shouldn't be enjoying her company, or thinking of her in any other terms than a prize that would herald his defeat of the Sailor Scouts. He suddenly found himself wishing that 'Michael' wasn't a façade, that he had taken Xantha out to dinner for no other purpose than to enjoy her company. He shook his head angrily. /_Stop it, right now_/ he silently chided himself. /_She's against you, just like the Scouts. Kunzite is the one you should feel this way about and though in form she may be Kunzite, in mind and soul, she is not!_/

"Michael, are you all right?" Xantha asked, concern in her voice. "You've gone awfully pale." Malachite shuddered inside. She shouldn't be worried about him. They were enemies!

"I…I'm fine, Xantha," he replied shortly. "I must have eaten something that disagreed with me." Xantha's face relaxed slightly.

"Let's leave. You'll probably feel better in the open air. I'll get the bill…" she began. Malachite interrupted her,

"Xantha, I'm treating you to dinner, not the other way around! You get ready to go, while I settle the bill."

"If you're sure…"

"I'm positive."

Leaving the restaurant, Xantha threaded her arm through Malachite's, and steered him in the direction of Tokyo Tower. "One of the most memorable things in my life happened at the foot of this place," she told him, when they had reached the top and were looking over the vast spread of Tokyo's lights. Malachite was silent for a moment, as he remembered losing Xantha when she regained her memory. He hadn't realised it at first; but that had mentally weakened him, by making him less sure of himself.

"Same here," he murmured into the still night air. Xantha switched her gaze from the lights below them to his face.

"Michael, if you still don't feel well, maybe we should just go home," she suggested. Malachite shook his head, putting his arm around her shoulders.

"No, Xantha, I'm fine. Really. I was just thinking 'bout what you said." As he spoke, he fished a jewellery box out of his coat pocket. "You mentioned your birthday was in August a while ago. It was last week, wasn't it?" Xantha nodded at his words.

"Yes, last Tuesday," she replied with a smile. Malachite smiled in his turn.

"I got you this…" he stated. "A sort of a late birthday present," he told her, presenting her with the box. Her face lit up, as she took it.

"Michael, thank you. You didn't have to do that." Malachite shrugged.

"I wanted to." Xantha suddenly hugged him, quickly. She had let go before he had even registered what she was doing. Opening the box, she gasped as the necklace shone against the white velvet lining. "Jet," Malachite told her. "It's not much, but I hope you like i…"

"It's beautiful," Xantha cut him off. "Help me with it?" she asked.

"Of course," Malachite replied, taking the two ends of the necklace. Xantha turned around and Malachite got a sense of déjà vu as he draped the black stones around her neck and fastened the peculiar clasp. It shut with an audible click. Xantha laughed.

"I guess they're making clasps stronger and stronger." Malachite smiled, as he let go of the necklace. "Do you feel any better now?" Xantha enquired, once more linking arms with him. Malachite nodded.

"Yes, much better. However, I'm afraid I'll soon have to say goodnight to you. I have to be up very early tomorrow." Xantha grinned.

"That's alright. If I don't materialise soon, Darien's going to think we've eloped," she replied with a wicked little giggle. Malachite laughed at that.

"Why don't we, and really shock him?" he suggested with a lopsided grin, the product of trying to keep his face straight.

"MICHAEL!" Xantha exclaimed in mock outrage as they emerged from the elevator at the foot of the tower. She batted him playfully on the arm, grinning, as they headed for the restaurant to pick up the car. Malachite had created it to maintain his image of a business executive.

"Ouch."

"I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"I think I can bear it." Xantha laughed at his reply as he opened the door for her. She winked at him as she got in.

"Thank you, good sir."

"I live but to serve you, my Lady," Malachite replied, playing along. He'd never realised how much fun friendly teasing was. He was enjoying being normal more than he cared to admit. As the black car drew up in front of the apartment block, Xantha laid her hand on Malachite's wrist as he reached for the socket of his seat belt. She shook her head to his enquiring look.

"I can show myself in, Michael. I don't need to be escorted. If you've got to be up early tomorrow, go home and get a good night's rest." Unbuckling her seat belt, she opened her door. "Thanks for a great evening, and the necklace," she told him, leaning over and kissing his cheek, before sliding out of the car. Xantha shut the door, then walked around the car to the pavement. She waved as Malachite started off, then turned and entered the apartment block.


	9. Chapter 9

"Good grief, Xan. That's a gorgeous necklace! Where on earth did you get it?" Raye demanded the next day, as she came out of the temple to join the group in the garden.

"Hmmm?" Xantha mumbled, looking up from the crossword she was concentrating on, the end of a pen held between her teeth as she puzzled over a clue. "Sorry, Raye. What did you say?"

"Your necklace," Raye repeated, "Where did you get it?" Xantha smiled.

"Belated birthday present…Michael got it for me."

"Michael…who's Michael?" Mina demanded immediately. Darien replied before Xantha could say a word.

"Xantha's boyfriend," he said shortly, in a tone of utter disgust. Xantha cast her eyes skyward, shaking her head.

"Give me strength," she muttered to the uncaring clouds. "Darien, there is NO need to sound as though I've taken leave of my senses. Michael and I like each other. Besides, and pray correct me if I'm mistaken, but I seem to recall that _you_ have a girlfriend." Xantha allowed herself a tiny smile at Darien's momentary bewilderment.

"That's different. Serena and I were in love in our former lives too!" he retorted. Xantha shrugged.

"Well, maybe Michael's the reincarnation of my Prince Charming…not that I remember ever finding my true love…" Xantha rose abruptly to her feet. "I'll catch up with you all later," she told the group, tucking the capped pen and crossword into her back pocket, leaving the temple grounds before anyone could say a thing to delay her.

"What'd I do?" Darien asked as eight sets of eyes turned to stare accusingly at him.

"Darien just doesn't get it," Xantha murmured later that afternoon to the figure on the screen as she guided 'Dark Warrior Kuranda' over a rope bridge to where a black winged horse was waiting. Unbeknownst to her, Malachite was watching her covertly from the next game, in the form of a teenaged girl. When 'Game Over' flashed up on the screen, Xantha straightened in her seat. "Why do I care if he gets it or not?" she suddenly demanded quietly. "How I live my life has nothing to do with him!" Malachite's form grinned in victory as Xantha marched out of the arcade.

"Hooked you, Princess. Now Pegasus isn't a problem. She'll follow your orders, even if she believes they're wrong…and although you don't realise it, 'Dark Warrior' has done exactly what I wanted it to do. My cause is yours, even though we are still enemies." He flexed his form's fingers, rose, and strolled out of the arcade. Resuming his own form, he slipped back into the Negaverse unnoticed. He knew where and when would be best to attack. He could wait.

Several days later, Serena and Mina were heading for the ice-cream parlour where they were meeting the other members of the Sailor team. The two cats walking along behind them didn't share the carefree attitude the girls displayed.

"Will you two keep up?" Serena demanded. "We're going to be late, and it's because we have to keep waiting for you!" Mina giggled.

"C'mon, guys! This isn't fair to Serena. For once, she's on time…and then you make us late by dawdling!" Both cats looked offended at Mina's choice of words.

"We were just wondering why Xantha has been so withdrawn and cold lately," Luna explained, as Serena picked her up. "It's quite worrying."

"If you're so worried, ask her!" Serena told them, as Mina scooped up Artemis, and both girls broke into a run. None of the four noticed a dark figure on the top of a building across the street. /_Perfect_/ Malachite thought, in satisfaction. He grinned viciously as he followed the girls. /_If I get rid of the Scouts first, Tuxedo Mask might be fun!_/

"Hi, you two!" a cheery call came from the group of three girls and a young man.

"Hi, Lita," Serena responded. "Hi, Darien!" Malachite froze momentarily as he caught sight of the black-haired young man. /_Oh well, may as well get it over and done with_/ he thought grimly. Just as the group settled down, a bolt of dark energy shattered the table they were sitting around. "YOU!" Serena exclaimed, her hand flying to her brooch compact. Malachite laughed.

"Who else?" he replied mockingly. The group immediately transformed.

"You've got about five seconds to clear out!" Sailor Moon snapped, assuming battle stance, her sceptre held firmly, pointing straight at him.

"I think I'll stay right here," Malachite responded calmly, his tone of voice careless.

"Don't say I didn't warn you! MOON SCEPTER ELIMINATION!" Sailor Moon cried, sending her attack straight at Malachite. He shielded himself almost lazily. Something they had all noticed in the last fight was that he was phenomically stronger now that his life-energy was within his own body again.

"Please! You're not even trying!" he shot back, as strands of black mist appeared near each member of the group, wrapped around them and condensed, tying them up securely.

"Look! Up on that window ledge…it's Pegasus!" Sailor Mercury exclaimed, catching sight of the cloaked figure for the first time. Pegasus leapt lightly down to the street as Malachite turned toward her.

"We could really use a hand here," Sailor Venus suggested. Sailor Jupiter nodded emphatically.

"Yeah…fry him like you did last time!" she urged the masked girl. Pegasus didn't even look at them. She kept her gaze steadily on Malachite.

"My princess has anticipated your terms," she said slowly. "If the Scouts and Tuxedo Mask are released, unharmed, she submits to you. She awaits your decision in Mikanna Park." Without another word, she whirled, flicking her whip so that it caught on a flagpole, and swung herself up to the top of the building, then disappeared. Malachite watched her go, before he turned back to his prisoners, a small smile on his lips.

"Well, that was unexpected," he told them. "But I think I'll take her up on her offer!" He headed off in the direction of the park, leaving the group trussed up. When he was almost out of sight, they saw him wave his hand. Their bonds disappeared and they all took off after him. Reaching the park, they leapt up on top of the wall to see Malachite ushering Xantha through a portal with an appearantly mocking bow. However, the portal closed before they could get any closer.

"NO!" Tuxedo Mask exclaimed, falling to his knees and slamming his hand against the ground. "Not again!"

Within the Negaverse, Malachite was repeating the process he'd used before, with one difference. This time, the crystal was one of the dark crystals from the Negaverse itself. When he had finished, he didn't feel drained in the slightest. The Negaverse had supplied all the energy for the transformation…and now, Kunzite stood before him once more.

"My lady…" he said with a smile. "I am overjoyed by your return. Now we can pursue our vengeance against the Scouts and Tuxedo Mask!" Kunzite looked silently at him, an indecipherable expression on her face. She suddenly smiled and Malachite recoiled from the look on her face. She had never worn such a bloodthirsty expression when looking at him before.

"I don't think so, Malachite," she hissed. Without warning, Kunzite released a beam of dark energy from her eyes, which took Malachite in the chest and flung him against the far wall, hard enough to partially stun him. He watched, too disorientated to move, as Kunzite opened a portal and disappeared. /_What have I done?_/ he thought in horror, getting shakily to his feet as the portal closed. /_She's gone mad…_/

"Xantha…come on. You fought back last time…why not now?" Sailor Mars demanded. They had still been in the park when Kunzite had suddenly appeared; having decided that their best chances of facing Malachite again at the earliest oppourtunity lay where he seemed to prefer opening a portal. The group where now regretting the decision. Kunzite released another blast of energy, sending Mars flying, before conscending to reply.

"Last time, I was only as strong as Malachite wanted me to be. This time, I'm the genuine article…and that pathetic loser's lying in a heap in the Negaverse. He didn't even have the sense to die!"

"Lucky for the Scouts…although they won't agree," a new voice interrupted, as a bolt of energy hit Kunzite from behind. The group gaped as they saw Malachite.

"First you create her, then fire at her? What's the deal with that?" Sailor Moon demanded. "However, you're right. We don't agree that it's lucky you're still alive…why should we?"

"Because it's a case of fighting fire with fire!" Malachite replied, gesturing toward Kunzite. She had staggered, but she hadn't fallen.

"What's going on?" Sailor Jupiter demanded.

"Yeah, why's she so strong?" Sailor Venus chimed in. Kunzite sneered at them.

"Don't you ever listen!" she taunted, her tone of voice scornful. Malachite nodded.

"She's right. Last time, I must have subconsciously made her weaker than me. Not by much…but by enough to matter. Now…" he was interrupted by having to dodge a beam of dark energy. "Well, you can see for yourselves!" he finished. Sailor Moon nodded grimly.

"You got that right!" Sailor Mercury launched a hail of ice shards at Kunzite. While the Shadow General was deflecting Mercury's blast; Mars and Venus stepped forward and immediately launched an attack,

"MARS CELESTIAL FIRE SURROUND!"

"VENUS LOVE CHAIN ENCIRCLE!"

Kunzite screamed in anger as she was tied up by the two attacks.

"Let's GO!" Tuxedo Mask exclaimed. "This isn't the place for a tête-à-tête. Malachite, you're coming with us!"

"I don't have much choice, do I?" Malachite asked half-heartedly as he followed the group over the wall.

"Unless you want to wait around until she frees herself, literally none!" Sailor Moon agreed with a forced cheeriness.

Finally stopping on the roof of Crown, the entire group was slightly out of breath.

"O.K, Malachite. You know more then you've let on so far…spill!" Tuxedo Mask commanded shortly. Malachite nodded.

"You're right, I do know more about all of this than you do…but just remember, much and all as I don't like it, I'm on your side this time around." Sailor Moon reached out with her sceptre and placed it firmly under the Shadow General's chin.

"Information first…we won't do anything to you, _for now_!" she stated blandly. Malachite lifted his hands in a gesture of surrender, his expression showing how uncomfortable Sailor Moon's action had made him.

"O.K, O.K…you win. Michael Kite is the cause of all this."

"Xantha's boyfriend…what's he got to do with _any_ of this?" Sailor Venus demanded.

"Run the two words together," Malachite replied. "Michael Kite…see what I'm driving at?" Sailor Mercury gasped in horror.

"Michaelkite…_Malachite_! He's _YOU_!" she exclaimed. Malachite nodded resignedly; briefly wondering why he felt guilty for the worried expression on Tuxedo Mask's face.

"And I used 'Dark Warrior' to change Xantha. That's why Pegasus didn't fight me. She obeys Xantha…even if she thinks the orders she has been given are wrong." Artemis and Luna suddenly appeared on the rooftop.

"Break it up," Artemis began without any apology. "_She's_ almost here!"

"Wrong, hairball…I _AM_ here!" Kunzite corrected him, jumping onto the roof, on the far side to the group. "Now…who to destroy first…decisions, decisions." Her eyes fell on Tuxedo Mask. "You'll do!" An intense beam of energy leapt from her fingers, which she was aiming like a gun, toward Tuxedo Mask, heading for a spot directly between his eyes.

"Darien!" Sailor Moon shouted, her voice full of horror. In the split-second it took the beam to reach the young man, something strange happened.

"Highness!" The exclamation came from Malachite, and he knocked Tuxedo Mask clear of the beam, catching it on the temple. He dropped noiselessly. Everybody stood shell-shocked, their faces in various expressions of amazement. Tuxedo Mask was the first to recover, because something had suddenly begun digging uncomfortably into his palm after he had hit the roof. Lifting his hand, he saw the blue crystal he had seen his sister gazing at several times. /_Maybe it's how she contacts Pegasus_/ he thought, scooping it up. /_Here's hoping it will do SOMETHING!_/ Throwing the crystal hard toward the girl who had been his sister, he raised his voice in a hail.

"Hey, Kunzite!" The Shadow General turned her head to look at him, saw the crystal coming, and threw up her hands to catch it in a reflex action. As her fingers closed around it, she was enveloped in a searing blue radiance. Everyone was forced to avert their eyes from the dazzling azure light, but they couldn't block out the scream of pain issuing from the obscured figure. Without warning, the blue aura flashed black, then vanished, and Xantha slumped to the roof. "XANTHA!" Tuxedo Mask cried in relief, reversing his transformation and hurrying to help his sister to her feet. Xantha looked around groggily. Seeing Malachite's prone figure, she gave a funny little half-gasp.

"He…he's not dead…is he?" she stammered, an odd tone in her voice. Sailor Mercury, who had been checking his vital signs, shook her head and as she did so, Malachite stirred, lifting a dazed face from the roof.

"Owww… you pack a powerful punch, Princess," he mumbled, putting a hand to his head as he sat up.

"Try your own sometime," Xantha replied in her normal tones, a challenging note underlying the joking style of the comment. "And didn't I tell you not to _**ever**_ do that again!" Malachite winced.

"I'm sorry, Highness. I held it against your brother that I had lost Zoisite, and was determined to make him pay…by taking someone he cared for," Malachite replied. He seemed about to say something else as the girls reversed their transformations. Serena didn't give him a chance to open his mouth.

"Malachite, you said something odd when you knocked Darien out of the way of that beam…" she began, her voice curious. Turning his head, Malachite looked up into a pair of puzzled blue eyes.

"Did I?" he responded. Serena nodded.

"Yep. You said 'Highness'."


	10. Chapter 10

"Oh, that."

"Whaddya mean 'Oh, that'?" Serena demanded. "Since when have you recognised the fact that he _is_ a prince?" Malachite and Xantha glanced at each other.

"They don't know," was Malachite's puzzled statement. Xantha shrugged.

"Seems to me as though the Imperium Crystal is rather selective about what memories it restores, and to whom. I've always known."

"I suppose we should tell them?"

"Well, the only other thing that could is the crystal…and it doesn't do that for the asking!" Malachite nodded resignedly at her words. A wicked little grin curled Xantha's lips. "You tell them." As Malachite began to protest, she cut him off. "Consider it payment for what you did to me."

"That's not fair!"

"Wasn't meant to be."

"Fine, but you owe me!" Xantha merely smiled and shook her head. Malachite glared at her, then sighed and turned to the group, who, to a man, were looking puzzled. "Did you ever wonder how I knew Xantha was Crown-princess of Earth?" he began. "It's quite simple. Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoisite and I were Prince Endymion's bodyguards and friends, a friendship that we also had with our Crown princess. Something, I'm not sure what, probably that shot I took in the Negaverse…"

"Sorry 'bout that," Xantha interrupted.

"…It's alright, I deserved it," Malachite dismissed it. "Anyway, I think being slammed into that wall knocked some sense into me. Took my head a while to straighten it all out, which is why the bodyguard role didn't materialise until we got here…"

"…And friendship was what was behind me hoping I hadn't killed him," Xantha finished. "By the way, Kunzite intended that shot to kill…how come you aren't dead?" she asked, turning to Malachite.

"No need to sound so disappointed," he replied, "You…or she…whatever…packed a pretty hard punch. I think it didn't kill me because the Negaverse fuels Kunzite, and though I have my head straightened out, I still draw my power from there." Xantha nodded slowly.

"Gotcha. So…where're you gonna bunk? Do me a favour and stay out of the Negaverse?" Malachite seemed about to protest when Xantha adopted a pleading look, while helping him to his feet. "Pretty please?"

"I'd be glad to, but I don't have anywhere in the city to go to otherwise," he replied, a compliant tone in his voice. Xantha punched him lightly on the arm.

"Drop the 'I live but to serve' act, buddy…or else!" she threatened. "Well, if you don't have anywhere else…Darien, please?" she finished, turning to her brother. Darien looked at her, then shook his head.

"Oh no…no way. I'm grateful to him for saving my life, but it's _way _too soon to ask me to trust him!" Xantha frowned. She glanced at the blue crystal in her hand, then her hand moved to the black crystal pendant around her neck.

"Here," she told her brother, unfastening it and handing it to him. "If you have it, Malachite can't use it on me. And it's just 'till he finds his own place… C'mon, Darien. Please!" Darien sighed.

"Oh, alright…but _ONLY_ until he gets somewhere of his own to live, then _out_!" he gave in. Xantha threw her arms around him.

"Thanks, Darien! Now…" she continued, moving over to the edge of the roof. "How do we get down?" Malachite smiled. Moving to Xantha's side, he bowed.

"If you will permit me to assist you down, Highness." Xantha looked at him, then grinned.

"On one condition."

"Name it."

"That you call me plain 'Xantha'. O.K?" she told him. Malachite smiled in reply,

"No problem! Now then, to get down…" he continued with a grin. "It's a good thing you're wearing trousers. Please hold on, because I _don't_ want to drop you." Xantha's eyes widened as Malachite lifted her into his arms.

"Malachite, don't you daaaaaaare!" was finished in a suppressed scream as Malachite jumped off the roof. Darien and the girls rushed to the edge of the roof to see Malachite land, sure-footed as a cat, and place Xantha on her feet as gently as he would set down a delicate piece of china. Serena giggled,

"You're not doing that to me, Darien," she told him with a grin. "Sailor Moon doesn't need any help to get off a roof-top!" Darien grinned back.

"That's true, but my sister isn't a super-powered 'Champion of Love and Justice', now is she?" Xantha heard Darien's reply as the group transformed, and leapt down to the ground. A brief smile flickered across her face. /_Boy, is he ever goin' to eat those words if I get careless enough to reveal just __**what**__ this thing does_/ she thought, tucking the blue crystal back into her pocket as the Scouts and Tuxedo Mask landed, reversing their transformations.

As the group separated to go home, Xantha flashed a quick grin and her brother and Malachite. "It's my turn to cook tonight, so you two head home, and I'll get the extra I need for a third person…" she directed. "And Malachite, _Michael_ has far a less conspicuous appearance. Do me a favour and take that form until you get to the apartment. Once you're there I don't care what you look like! See you both soon," she finished, dashing off before either of them could say anything.

"Still as determined as ever," Malachite murmured, as he shimmered into his alter ego's form. Darien laughed at that.

"Don't you mean headstrong?" he asked. Malachite grinned at the young man.

"You can't talk. You have just as much will-power!" he stated. Darien nodded at the blond man's words.

"True, but as Tuxedo Mask, I need it." Malachite nodded his agreement as they headed for the apartment. When they reached it, Darien went briefly into his room as Malachite resumed his true appearance. Darien reappeared and handed Malachite some clothes. "Here. Do us all a favour, and get rid of the 'Shadow General' as far as is possible," he directed, waving Malachite toward his room. "You can change in there," he added. Malachite took the bundle, but hesitated.

"This was actually the uniform of your bodyguards," he replied, slowly. Darien raised his eyebrows.

"Well, I have no problem with you wearing it if you're going to fight with us, but you can't wear it all day, every day!" he replied. Malachite's face cleared.

"That's easily solved," he said with a grin, handing the clothes back to Darien. He concentrated for a moment, and the uniform disappeared, replaced by a pair of jeans and a black top. "How's this?" he asked calmly. Darien laughed.

"Neat trick." He seemed about to say more, when Xantha burst through the door. "Xan...What on _earth_?!" he exclaimed, dumping the clothes on the couch as Xantha dropped to her knees. Xantha shook her head as Malachite came to her side and helped her to her feet.

"Not Earth, the Negaverse. Guess Malachite or I weakened the barrier. I've just been chased by a bunch of the most persistent monsters ever!" Darien and Malachite dashed to the balcony at her words and looked down into the street.

"Typical!" Darien exclaimed, as he and Malachite morphed into their outfits. "Close the door after us, Xan, and for goodness sake, be careful of shattering glass!" he told her, following Malachite over the balcony railings. Xantha did as she was bid, then picked up her shopping and deposited it in the kitchen. She crossed to the front door, but instead of closing it, she glanced around the apartment, then headed out into the hall, pulling the door shut behind her. She headed for the lift, and a few moments later emerged on the roof. She grinned tightly as she saw one of the Negaverse monsters perched, like a gargoyle, on the parapet at the edge of the roof with its back to her. /_Payback time!_/ she thought grimly, lifting the Sky Crystal to face-level.

"Hey, ugly!" Pegasus hailed the monster. It whirled with a snarl. "What's the matter? Scared of the fight?" she taunted. The monster's face contorted in fury and it leapt toward her…just as she had planned. /_I swear, they get more and more gullible_/ she thought, even as she threw her hands wide. "CRYSTAL HOOVES!" Her attack slammed straight into the creature, knocking it backwards and over the edge of the roof. Pegasus leapt after it. "Heads up!" she cried, as the inert monster bore down on the two in the street. They glanced up, and leapt out of the way. The monster impacted…and fell apart, turning into dust that vanished instantly. Pegasus laughed as she landed beside the two young men. "They just don't make monsters like they used to," was her comment as she caught one of the monsters with her whip and tossed it into the air. As it reached the top of its assent, and began to fall, she took aim…and fired. "SKY FIRE!" The burning monster landed on the last few, and they exploded. Pegasus grinned tightly, "Monsters go boom-shocka-boom!" Noticing the looks she was receiving from Tuxedo Mask and Malachite, she turned to them with a smile, "What?" Malachite just shrugged but Tuxedo Mask offered her his hand.

"Thanks for the help. You just surprised us, we weren't expecting you," he stated. Pegasus laughed, shaking his hand.

"You and the Scouts don't have the monopoly on appearing unexpectedly. Get used to me showing up without warning." Turning, she saluted Malachite. "Nice to have you back where you should be. Now I don't have to worry about keeping both their Highnesses out of hot water!" Malachite grinned, returning the salute.

"The crown-princess isn't _that_ bad! However, since his Highness is Tuxedo Mask, I'm going to have my work cut out. I'm only one of four, remember." Pegasus bowed her head.

"True, you have lost companions. Well, if you ever need help with saving his neck, you know whom to ask. Good-bye…for now." Pegasus sprang up from the street to a balcony railing, and then to the roof, disappearing from sight. Malachite shook his head, staring after her.

"There's something naggingly familiar about that girl," he observed. "I get the feeling I should know who's under the mask, but I can't place her." Tuxedo Mask shrugged.

"Forget about it," he advised. "_Trying_ to remember something is the best way not to get any closer to the answer you're looking for!" Malachite nodded his agreement and they both leapt up to the balcony, to find Xantha waiting to open the doors. As they entered the apartment and resumed normal appearances, Xantha crossed to the telephone.

"I'm not cooking after being chased home!" she declared. "Do you two want pizza or Chinese?"

"Chinese," Darien replied, throwing himself into an armchair. Malachite nodded.

"Ditto." Darien waved him to a chair.

"Sit down and stop acting like you're on probation. Xan's accepted you, Pegasus' accepted you, I admit I was wrong and I'm following suit."

Over the next few days, _everyone_ followed suit, and were glad they did. Malachite proved a welcome addition to the group, and Xantha took advantage of the chance to rub Darien's nose in a well earned 'I Told You So!'. She also told Malachite she didn't care what he called himself, he wasn't dumping her just because his charade had been blown wide open, she enjoyed their 'dates'. Malachite didn't object, mainly because he had loved Xantha at the time of the Silver Millennium, and still did. 1000 years hadn't changed that, and wasn't likely to. Xantha, for her part was extremely fond of Malachite, but the fondness wasn't love…yet.

Things were comparatively calm for the next few weeks, although Negaverse demons continued to appear without warning. However, when Malachite entered the Negaverse to determine if the barrier was failing, he found it as strong as ever, and didn't encounter a single monster. There were a few heads scratched over that, but for the most part, the group was content to deal with each monster as it appeared.

Unfortunately, it never rains, but it pours! Xantha began to get extremely strange dreams. They began as vague sensations of flying, then falling, but got steadily clearer. The night came when she had a clear vision of wings and purple hair, then a flash of light, and woke trembling, with the word 'Tansa' on her lips. When he heard that, Malachite told her that Tansa had been the name of a winged horse she had owned when she was princess. This horse had the same ability as Luna and Artemis, human speech. He had a feeling that Tansa may still be alive, but held prisoner in the Negaverse, in the same way as Xantha herself had been. He offered to search the Negaverse and left, while Tuxedo Mask and the Scouts continued to repel the monsters.

Xantha also had an idea for a job, and set up a fashion design business, which soon proved profitable. She was quickly able to open a shop and studio, and 'Night Sky Fashions' was born.

Malachite eventually arrived back from the Negaverse, with no news of Tansa, but any amount of pain from a monster that had appeared and nearly killed him. Xantha was horrified at that, and the others weren't much better. Xantha interred Malachite in her own bed, sleeping on the couch. She ignored his protests, tending to his wounds and nursing him back to full health. Once he was back on his feet, Darien surprised them both by announcing that Malachite had no need to find his own place, but was welcome to make his home with the twins. Why Xantha asked about space, Darien showed that he had been considering it for a while, as he had found they could easily afford to move into one of the 4 bedroom apartments on the upper floors of the building they were already in. Malachite and Xantha were thrilled with the idea and, with the Scouts cheerfully joining in, after a haywire weekend, the three were settled in the new apartment, the fourth bedroom set up as a studio/office for Xantha and Malachite to use. Using the 'Michael Kite' pseudo-nom, but now tied to his own appearance, Malachite was soon working full-time as a liason agent between modelling agencies and fashion lines, Xantha's included.


	11. Chapter 11

"Darien…_Darien_! Wake up!" Xantha hissed, shaking her brother. Malachite looked around the door. He was attired in his uniform.

"Just how deeply does he sleep? You've been tying to wake him for the last three minutes!" Xantha nodded, and beckoned him into the room.

"I know…you try." It took Malachite roughly another two minutes before Darien finally woke up.

"Hmmm…huh?" he muttered, rolling over glancing at the pair standing over him, then switching his gaze to the glowing digits of his alarm clock. "Malachite…Xan…what's the big idea?! It's five in the morning!" he exclaimed.

"Well aware of that, bro!" Xantha replied, pulling him out of bed. "I couldn't sleep and went to the window to get some fresh air…and saw a bunch of Negaverse demons heading down the street!" Darien immediately headed across the room.

"Get out, both of you, and let me dress. Xan, go back to bed. Malachite, I'll be ready in a second." Xantha glared at her brother as she left his room, but did as she was told. As soon as she heard the glass door onto the balcony pulled gently shut, she leapt out of bed again and hurriedly dressed. /_Think you're gonna leave me out of this? Dream on, bro!_/ she thought, sliding the glass door silently shut again behind her. Xantha held the Sky Crystal out, glinting in the streetlight, and transformed.

"Party time!" Pegasus purred, while her whip cracked in the still night air as she caught a lamppost and swung off in the direction the monsters had gone.

When she reached the fight, she found it raging beside an old warehouse, which had stood empty for months. "Room for one more?" she cried, as she leapt off the roof-top, catching a monster on the side of the head with her foot as she joined the fight, preventing it from planting four-inch-long claws in Sailor Venus' back

"Always welcome, Pegasus! JUPITER THUNDER DRAGON!" Sailor Jupiter replied, electrocuting a demon as it leapt for the dark-haired warrior that had felled its companion. It fell short of Pegasus, becoming floating ash.

"Thanks!" Pegasus told the brown-haired Scout, catching a demon around the neck with her whip, and sending it crashing headlong into three others.

"SKY FIRE!"

"Anytime!" Lita replied. She liked this mysterious girl. They shared the same merciless response to anyone who opposed or attacked them.

"MARS FIRE-BIRD STRIKE!"

"MERCURY ICE STORM BLAST!"

Sailor Mars and Mercury's attacks totalled a huddle of monsters that had been stealthily approaching the fight from the shadow of the wall of the warehouse. Sailor Venus wrote off another two with her Meteor Shower, but they still didn't seem to be making any dent in the numbers. Malachite's sharp eyes suddenly caught sight of a spark of light deep within the warehouse, just before several monsters rushed at him.

"MOON SCEPTRE ELIMINATION!"

Sailor Moon's attack vaporised the monsters, and Malachite cast a glance over his shoulder to see her looking quizzically at him,

"Can't day-dream in the middle of a fight!" she told him, apparently unaware of the monster plunging toward her. Malachite fired at it, and the bolt of energy, flashing over Sailor Moon's shoulder, disintegrated the monster into its composite atoms.

"Same to you," he replied, then jerked his head toward the building. "Listen, the person summoning these things is inside the warehouse!" he informed the group. Sailor Moon blinked, then nodded in understanding.

"Gotcha. Guys…?" she began.

"Already on it!" Sailor Jupiter cried, lunging toward the door. A dusty, rattling laugh came from the shadows within the building.

"Yes, little Sailor Scout, rush to thy doom!" a dry, icy voice followed the laugh.

"Take a HIKE!" The cry accompanied a blue incandescence suddenly illuminating the interior of the warehouse. Pegasus stalked forward, frowning, to stand beside Sailor Jupiter. She held her whip aloft, the crystal set in the hilt emitting the intense blue light. "Nobody aces a Sailor Scout on _my_ watch!" she stated defiantly, glaring at a cloaked figure on the far side of the cavernous building.

"Curse you!" the figure snapped. "For thy insolence, thou wilt die first!"

"Yeah? Well, excuse me if I don't make it easy for you!" Pegasus returned, her voice furiously cold. "Besides, a black figure isn't all that intimidating…people often see me like that at first glance, so I'm sure you'll forgive me for not grovelling in fear!" The figure stepped back from the group, shrinking into such shadow that remained in the bright blue light. It made a gesture and the monsters, which had seemed paralysed by the glowing aura, attacked again. The azure radiance died as the battle began anew.

"This won't save you!" Sailor Mars cried, her voice harsh with rage. The figure floated up to a window high up on the far wall, silhouetted against the deep blue of the night sky, surveying the flashes of energy in the dark interior, which showed that monsters were being destroyed. From the brief flashes, it was obvious that the entire group had been separated. A sudden blue flash located Pegasus, and the figure smirked.

"Perhaps my shadow demons can't stop ye," it rasped. "But I never expected them to." With no warning, a tremendous force struck the building and, as the figure disappeared in a swirl of shadow, the warehouse collapsed on the group. In the dawn light, all that was left of the once spacious building were heaps of bricks and tiles, with dust hanging in the air above them.

A small figure, pink hair gleaming in the early morning light, stepped out of a narrow street opposite the wreckage. "Sailor Moon?…Tuxedo Mask?" Rini's young voice echoed across the still air. Suddenly, a heap of tiles fell in all directions as Tuxedo Mask heaved himself up out of the debris. "Tuxedo Mask!" Rini cried in delight, scrambling up onto the piled rubble, and starting toward him. As Darien looked up at her in surprise, a muffled 'ow' came from a lump of bricks she had just scrambled over. The bricks moved, then scattered as the dusty head of Sailor Moon poked through them and she wriggled out of the rubble.

"You're no light-weight, Rini, I…RINI?! What in the world are _you_ doing here?" she exclaimed. The other Scouts and Malachite were emerging from the wrecked building, all as grimy and dusty as Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask, uniforms ripped and torn. Suddenly, Sailor Jupiter looked around.

"Where's Pegasus?" she exclaimed, her voice worried. The others looked around sharply. Jupiter was right. Pegasus was no-where to be seen. The entire group, Rini included, started searching for their black-haired ally through the piles of debris. As Rini scrambled around a chunk of the outer wall that had stayed cemented together, she saw a splash of white. She made her way toward it, slipping on the loose rubble, and, brushing aside the layer of grime and moving a tile, revealed a gloved female hand.

"Over here!" she exclaimed, her voice shrill. "I've found her!"

"Alright! Way to go, Rini!" Sailor Jupiter cried, leaping over the piles of rubble like a goat. She was first to reach the little girl's side, but the others weren't far behind. They all fell to the task of clearing the bricks and slowly Pegasus came into view. She was finally clear of the rubble, but there was no movement.

"She must have been knocked out," Tuxedo Mask declared, reaching down to the still figure. She was lying face down, and as he lifted her out, her mask fell from her face, which was still obscured by a curtain of hair. Sailor Mars picked it up as Tuxedo Mask turned Pegasus over and laid her across his knees. Raye dropped the mask almost immediately, as Darien lifted the thick, silky black hair off the young woman's face to reveal her features. "Xantha?!" Tuxedo Mask exclaimed, shocked. Sailor Mercury, although amazed, dropped to her knees and began checking Xantha's vital signs. Xantha's face was pale and cold, and her pulse was slow. Sailor Moon noticed what she was doing, and held up her sceptre, a mute suggestion in her eyes. Sailor Mercury shook her head. Despite Xantha's appearance, her heart-beat was strong, and she was breathing easily.

"No, I don't think it's needed. If we just get her home and into bed, she should be fine."

Three hours later, Ami came out of Xantha's bedroom, her face white. "Darien…I think… it…her pulse – it's certainly weaker…" Darien snatched the receiver from its cradle, and called for an ambulance, while Mina and Raye dashed into the darkened room. Lita and Malachite were both at the bedside. Serena had taken Rini home, but had extracted a promise that they would call her and let her know what happened. Darien, although worried, knew that he couldn't do anything for Xantha, so fulfilled his promise. When Serena heard the news, she promised to meet them at the hospital.

The next weeks crawled by. The medical staff refused to commit themselves, and the group received no certain answer to their questions. Someone was always at the bedside, indeed Darien and Malachite hardly ever left the room. Malachite was bitterly blaming himself for not realising who Pegasus was, and thus keeping Xantha safe. He became cold and withdrawn. No-one realised why he reacted this way, but just assumed it was his way of dealing with worry. Often, he would sit, helplessly holding the still hand, struggling to hold back tears. Dreams of a new life tormented him at night. Now, it seemed that dreams were all they could be.


	12. Chapter 12

Around two o'clock in the afternoon, five weeks after the incident, everyone was in the room. Despite the dazzling sunshine, no-one had even really acknowledged that the summer holidays had started. Malachite was staring out the window. Lita had Rini, who was in tears, sitting on her lap. Darien, Serena and Mina were standing at the foot of the bed. Ami was sitting at the bedside, and Raye was standing just behind her. As Ami leant forward to check Xantha's pulse, Xantha moaned. Everybody's head jerked erect, as though electrified. In a quick movement, Malachite and Darien were leaning over the still figure. The long black eyelashs, which had remained so still still the accident, were fluttering. There was no doubt in anyone's mind now. Xantha was definitely waking up. Raye spun on her heel and went for a doctor. As he came in, followed by Raye, Xantha stirred and opened her eyes. Her gaze fell on Rini, who Malachite had lifted out of Lita's arms and was holding up at the foot of the bed.

"Tears…?" Xantha murmured groggily. "Why are you crying, Rini?"

"Cause I thought you weren't never gonna wake up," Rini replied, sniffling a bit.

"How do you feel, Ms. Shields?" the doctor asked, coming to the side of the bed.

"Fine," Xantha replied, turning her head to look at him, "But…you're a DOCTOR! Where on earth am I?" Darien took her hand.

"You're in hospital, Xan. You've been in a coma for a month now."

"I have?" As all heads nodded, Xantha's face took on a mystified expression, as she pushed herself up into a sitting position. "But…but…why?" she demanded. The doctor smiled.

"I think things are progressing well…very well indeed. I'll leave you now, but we must examine you soon, Ms. Shields." With another smile, he left the room, ignoring the face Xantha made. As soon as the door shut behind him, Darien took something from his jacket pocket and laid it in his sister's palm, closing her fingers over it. Raising her hand, Xantha looked at what he'd given her.

"My mask…I guess you all know now, huh?" Xantha murmured, looking at the faces around her. As they nodded, she sighed, flopping down on her pillows again. "Bang goes another secret."

"Xan, why didn't you tell us who you really were?" Raye queried, sitting down on the edge of the bed. A tiny smile tugged at the corner of Xantha's mouth.

"Well, you guys didn't really trust Pegasus at first, did you?…and you were so determined that I wasn't going to get caught up in any fights, so I thought it best if you didn't know. Besides, you all not knowing who was behind the mask was kinda fun!" Xantha replied to Raye's question, suppressing a giggle. "How come I'm here, though? And where's the rest of my outfit?" she continued, shifting a bit to sit more comfortably.

"After we dug you out, we brought you home, and Lita and Ami put you to bed. Ami thought it would be better if you were in your pyjamas, so your costume's at home…right down to your whip," Darien explained with a smile, as Malachite set Rini down. The little girl scrambled up onto the bed to sit next to Raye as the young man continued. "Anyway, you're here because a while after we got you to bed you weren't showing any signs of waking up and your pulse rate had slowed right down. We thought you were gonna die!" Darien's voice was steady, but his eyes were suspiciously bright. The strain of the past weeks was beginning to tell. Xantha saw it, and flung her arms around her brother where he had perched himself on the edge of the bed.

"Darien, I'm sorry…honestly I am. I promise I'll be more careful," she said slowly. "Pegasus _has_ to take risks, like the Sailor team and Tuxedo Mask do, but I promise I'll do my level best not to be reckless!" Darien relaxed, and returned the hug.

"Thanks, Xantha. And…I promise to stop being over-protective," he said, then hesitated. "Well, to try, anyway," he amended his promise.

"You'd better do more than try!" Xantha threatened, beginning to laugh. She stopped abruptly, and put her hand to her ribs. "Owww…pushing things a bit there. Don't any of you make me laugh for a while!" The group all smiled at that. As they began to leave, Xantha noticed that Malachite seemed to be trying to avoid notice. "Malachite…" she called, and saw him flinch. He didn't turn to face her, but muttered,

"Yes, Highness?" back over his shoulder.

"Will you stay a while?" Xantha asked calmly. Malachite threw a glance at her, and his eyes were stricken. "Please…" Xantha added.

"As…as you wish, Highness," Malachite replied slowly. Darien rose from the bed, and pressed Xantha gently back against the pillows.

"Do me a favour and take things easy for a while," he told her. Xantha grimaced cheerfully at him.

"Alright, I'll be good…and Malachite can report me if I'm not. Now, go on, scoot. Malachite'll keep an eye on me!" Darien bent and kissed Xantha's forehead.

"I'll see you later, O.K?" Xantha nodded.

"Yeah, see you, bro." Darien left, and the door closed quietly. A silence fell on the room. Xantha finally broke it, by pulling herself up a bit more against her pillows. Malachite's head snapped up.

"Are you alright?" he demanded, his voice concerned. Xantha looked at him in surprise.

"I'm fine…just sitting up!" she replied. Malachite shook his head fiercely.

"No…no, you mustn't! You have to rest!" he told her, his voice desperate. Xantha couldn't believe her ears. Malachite sounded like he was on the verge of hysterics.

"Malachite…" she began. He didn't appear to hear her, but kept on muttering unintelligibly to himself. "MALACHITE!" she snapped, her voice rising. "Get a grip!" The young man closed his eyes, taking several deep breaths.

"I…I'm sorry," he replied, his voice calmer. Xantha nodded.

"That's better. Keep calm. I've got myself into a big enough mess without anybody suffering a breakdown!" Malachite shook his head again.

"No, not that…I'm sorry about you being in hospital…it's my fault…if you had died, I'd have never forgiven myself!" Xantha stared at him, her dark eyes bewildered.

"M…what in the world are you talking about?!" she asked, completely bewildered. Malachite didn't reply, just mutely stepped further away from the bed. "Malachite, would you come over here and sit down?" Xantha suggested, pointing at the chair at the bedside. Malachite shook his head yet again, coming to a halt against the wall. "Why not?" Xantha asked, more puzzled then ever.

"I…I'm a danger to you, Princess," Malachite replied, his tone sincere. "And I'd sooner die than hurt you again." Xantha's eyes couldn't get any wider.

"Exactly _what_ are you on about?" she demanded in confusion. "And didn't Darien and I tell you to drop all the titles?" she added. Malachite nodded.

"Yes, but after what I did, I don't deserve to act as though I'm your equal," he stated.

"_**What?!**_ Malachite, have you taken leave of your senses!? Come over here and sit down!" Xantha told him, her voice taking on a commanding tone. "Now!" Malachite moved slowly over to the chair, and perched on the edge of it. "Malachite," Xantha continued, her voice gentle. "That whole rigmarole was to hide something else. Won't you tell me what?" Malachite raised his head, to meet deep compassion and care in Xantha's eyes.

"I…" Malachite began, hesitantly. He took his rapidly departing courage in his hands, and plunged into the sentence. "I love you, and I didn't want to loose you, no matter what you feel about me." Xantha fell back against her pillows, amazed.

"You love _me_!!" she murmured dazedly, half under her breath. Malachite nodded mutely, gazing at the floor.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I know… I know I've overstepped my limits!" he blurted. Xantha cast her eyes up at the ceiling at his words.

"Malachite, look at me." As Malachite raised his head again, Xantha patted the bed. "Sit here…please." Malachite rose, and gingerly seated himself on the bedside, staring at his interlocked fingers, which were resting in his lap. Xantha regarded his downcast profile for a moment or two, then sat up. "I love you too," she murmured into his ear, laying her arms around his neck. Malachite had stiffened, as though he had been shot, at her touch; but as what she had sank in, he looked at her, desperate hope burning in his lilac eyes.

"You do?" he asked, naked longing in his voice. Xantha nodded.

"Uh-huh. I guess my own stupidity prevented me from seeing it…after all, why else would _Kunzite_ love you?" Malachite blinked. He had never considered that.

"I can't answer that one," he said with a soft smile, as he lowered his face to Xantha's.

As their lips met in a deep, gentle kiss, they were both oblivious to the door being pushed open. Darien stood dumbstruck in the doorway then, with an understanding grin, backed away, letting the door swing shut. Turning around in the corridor, he was just in time to waylay the doctor.

"_XANTHA_ and _MALACHITE_!! Darien, are you _SURE_?!" Serena demanded. The group were enjoying the shade at the temple the following day, and Darien had just told them that there was now a second couple within the group. Darien winced.

"Yes, Serena, I'm sure…and please don't screech like that. You've got a very piercing voice when you do, and I'd prefer it if my eardrums stayed in one piece!" Serena coloured.

"Sorry, you just surprised me…it's the last thing I expected." Mina looked at her with a dreamy smile on her face.

"Really? I think we _should_ have expected it. Besides, it's a perfect match," she finished with a sigh. Lita laughed.

"Ignore her. There's no sense to be got out of her when she's like this. I will, however, agree that those two as a couple doesn't strike me as completely impossible. Since he got his head back in order, Malachite has been a complete gentleman, but he's no angel, and neither is Xan!" She broke off with a giggle. "I think it's going to be rather interesting to see Pegasus and Malachite in action if you're right!" she finished, turning to Darien. He laughed, and nodded. Raye laughed too.

"It would be interesting, but I think they're both too professional to let something like love get in the way of winning a fight," she said with a grin. Mina's face lost its dreamy expression at that.

"Raye!" she exclaimed, disgust in her tones. "There's not the least amount of romance in you, d'you know that!" Raye stifled a laugh.

"So? I happen to have enough on my plate without getting soppy at the least mention of affection, thank you!" The group broke into laughter at that.

"When's Xantha released from hospital?" Ami asked, turning to Darien, when they calmed. He shrugged.

"I don't know, but the sooner the better. She doesn't have the least use for bed, except at night, and her temper is deteriorating rapidly!"

"I'll say!" came in heartfelt tones from the temple entrance. Everyone swung around to see Malachite grinning at them.

"How's Xantha?" rose as a chorus. Malachite laughed, coming to sit down with the group.

"Physically, she seems fine, other than a tendency to tire easily…but that's to be expected after the accident," he told them. "Mentally, the less said, the better! Say the slightest thing to annoy her, and you know _all_ about it. And this is for things that she'd usually just laugh at. She's got a tongue that could take the skin off you!" Darien cast his eyes skyward at the description of his twin's mood.

"Did you hear anything about her being allowed out?" he asked. Malachite shook his head.

"Sorry. When visiting time was over, I was practically chased out. I didn't have a chance to say anything other than 'bye'!" The entire group looked glum for a moment, then Ami grinned.

"We're all going to see her this evening. I'm sure one of us will be able to grab the doctor and get an answer out of him!" Malachite raised his head.

"I forgot to tell you, the doctor you all saw isn't actually the one treating her. Her doctor is much younger, and he's very friendly. He's got a great sense of humour…and he must have endless patience to put up with Xantha in her present mood!"

That evening, Xantha's face lit up as they all trooped into her room. "All of you here, just for me? You guys are great!"

"You'd do the same for us," Ami responded, perching herself on the windowsill. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, for pity's sake, talk about some thing else!" Xantha burst out. "I've had about enough of being asked about my health!" Everyone burst into laughter as a light rap on the door heralded the entrance of a tall, dark-haired young man. He looked around at the group with a smile.

"You're a spoilt woman, Ms. Shields," he told Xantha, in a teasing tone.

"Don't I know it!" Xantha replied with a grin. "Everyone, meet Dr. Toya Hirohito, the man responsible for putting me back together again," she introduced the young man cheerfully. "While I think of it, Toya, didn't we put paid to the 'Ms. Shields/ Dr. Hirohito' business yesterday?" she continued, turning back to him. "I hate being formal with my friends!" The doctor laughed.

"Quite right. Anyway, sorry to disturb you all. Xantha, if you need painkillers tonight, take _one_ of these," he told her, placing a sheet of tabs beside Xantha's water jug. He smiled around at them all, before leaving the room. Ami slipped down from her perch on the sill, and followed him.

She caught up with him in the hall. "Sorry, Dr…Hirohito, isn't it?"

"That's right," the doctor agreed with a grin. "What can I do for you?" Ami flushed.

"Well…I was just wondering when Xantha'll be able to come home?" she replied. Toya smiled at her again.

"Her recovery rate is unreal, I've never seen anything like it. I'm going to keep her in tomorrow for observation, but if everything's O.K, she'll go home the day after that. Don't tell her though, or she'll get hyper, and that will just set her back. Can I count on you to keep it quiet?" Ami nodded emphatically.

"Of course!" she promised. "It's great that she'll be able to come home so soon, and I wouldn't dream of doing anything to stall that." Toya laughed at the girl's words.

"She _is_ a rather charming individual. I envy the man who wins her heart!" Ami grinned her thanks and headed back down the hall. On re-entering Xantha's room, she found a friendly argument, over a clue in a crossword that Xantha was stuck on, taking place.

When visiting time was over, the group left slowly; but as soon as they were out of earshot of Xantha's room, Ami told them what Toya had said, reminding them to keep quiet.

"That's great!" Mina exclaimed, as they walked down the street. "Speaking of Toya, I don't mind admitting that I'm plain jealous of Xantha! He is so _hot_! How lucky can a girl get?" Ami elbowed her in the ribs, before she could say anything else, and nodded toward Malachite. His face had shadowed, his eyes looking unhappy. Mina gasped, and flushed darkly red. "Oops," she murmured.

As Malachite went to visit Xantha the next morning, he met Toya halfway to her room.

"Good morning, Doctor," he said formally. Toya grinned at him.

"Xantha's friend, right?" Malachite nodded. "Xantha's not in her room. She's allowed up…she's out in the garden. Would you like me to show you the way?" Malachite nodded again, dumbly. As they reached a glass door through which the sun was pouring, he found his voice.

"Will…will Xantha be able to come home tomorrow?" he asked suddenly. Toya looked at him with a laugh.

"If she's O.K this evening, then she can go home tomorrow afternoon. If she's kept in much longer, I foresee staff needing treatment. She doesn't take confinement well, does she?" Malachite also began to laugh.

"That's the tactful way of putting it!" Toya grinned, nodded to Malachite and walked off, as Malachite pushed open the door, and walked out into a garden literally _drenched_ with sunshine. He wandered about for a while, until he heard a soft voice singing an old folk song from behind a hedge. Walking through a gap a little further on, he smiled as he saw Xantha. She was sitting on the ground, with her back to him, her hair in two long braids. He moved silently up behind her, then leant forward, and placed his hands over her eyes. "Guess who," he murmured. Xantha dropped the book she had been reading.

"Malachite?" she replied.

"Bingo," Malachite agreed, freeing her eyes and helping her to her feet. He bent down and retrieved her book, as she dusted off the back of her skirt. "Why the plaits?" he asked, as she tucked the book under one arm, and threaded the other through his. Xantha laughed, tossing them back over her shoulders.

"Easiest way to keep my hair tidy. Try it sometime. Grow your hair 'til you can sit on it…then ask me why I've plaited mine!" Malachite smiled at her.

"I'm not complaining about them…just wondering. After all, you don't usually tie up your hair on a day-to-day basis." Xantha nodded her head slightly.

"I know, but I'm usually able to give my hair a really vigorous brushing in the morning, and before I go to bed. At the moment hard brushing hurts. My head's still a bit tender, and I see no point in giving myself a headache."

"Oh." Malachite made no other reply. He still felt guilty about Xantha getting hurt at all. After all, no matter what she and Darien said, they were his crown princess and prince. Xantha seemed to notice his uneasiness, as she dropped the subject, and his arm, darting over to some small purple flowers, and picking them. She tucked some into her hair, then slipped the rest into the buttonhole of Malachite's shirt, open at the neck in the heat.

"Et, voila!" she said with a grin, towing Malachite over to a garden seat, and some valuable shade. "Thank goodness. Most of the time I like good weather, but this sort of sunshine at ten in the morning is a bit much! Heaven only knows what it'll be like by twelve!" Malachite nodded in agreement. The sun was hammering down like nobody's business. He glanced at Xantha as she leant back on the seat, fanning herself with her book. She looked pale, but it wasn't a weak paleness. Like he himself, and the rest of the city, she was merely _very_ hot. Xantha grinned at him. "What's in the cinemas at present?" she demanded.

Half an hour later, they were fathoms deep in a debate about which of the two new releases was worth going to see, when Xantha laid her hand gently on Malachite's shoulder.

"M…do you still feel responsible for what happened to me?" she asked softly. Malachite stared at her.

"How'd you know?" he demanded. Xantha sighed.

"Easy, you were worried 'bout _something_ and nothing else seems to be the matter. Stop blaming yourself. You're _Darien's_ bodyguard, not mine. _Pegasus_ is the person who's responsible for my safety!" Malachite stared at her.

"But she's you!"

"My point exactly! It's my, and nobody else's fault I'm here…unless you want to count Mr. Shadowy." Malachite laughed at her name for the figure that had collapsed the building on them.

"I do count 'Mr. Shadowy' as you've dubbed him. It was his act in the first place. None of us demolished that warehouse!" Xantha smiled.

"Got that right. Now, please stop feeling guilty. If Darien was hurt, _then_ you could feel guilty! He wasn't, so you can't, O.K?" Malachite nodded slowly.

"O.K, I…mmmph" he was cut off as Xantha caught his mouth in a kiss. "What…?" he gasped, as she released him. Xantha shrugged.

"Kiss of forgiveness…of relief…of gratitude…of love? Take your pick!" Malachite hesitated.

"I'll go with 'love', if that's alright with you," he replied gently, enfolding her in his arms. Xantha relaxed into the hug for a moment, then pulled away from him.

"No offence, M, but it really is too warm for cuddling," she explained. Malachite nodded. It was unbearably hot. They were both sweating, but their clothes were bone dry. The moisture evaporated immediately. "Is this why you all have looked so red-faced when you've come to visit me?" Xantha asked, rubbing a hand across her forehead. Malachite nodded briefly. It was getting hotter by the minute. Rising to her feet, Xantha moved out of the shade to look at the sky. "Uh, M…I suggest we get indoors," she said shortly. Malachite raised his eyes to her face. Her expression was a peculiar mix of relief and awe.

"Why?" he asked. Xantha gestured at the sky.

"The weather's going to break…with the mother of all thunderstorms. Which will start pretty damn soon unless I know nothing about weather signs!" she replied. Malachite rose to his feet and joined her. He took one look at the sky, and nodded. Xantha wasn't mistaken, the heavy bank of dark clouds moving up swiftly really did promise a huge storm in the immediate future. Xantha scooped up her book and the pair headed for the door. Just before they reached it, it was pushed open, and Toya, Serena and Rini appeared.

"Oh, good!" the doctor exclaimed, seeing them. "Come in, this is going to start any second now." As if to verify his words, the sky was ripped apart by a blinding white flash, accompanied by a loud growl of thunder. Xantha let out a low whistle as they headed for her room.

"That was almost directly overhead! This is going to be fantastic to watch. Who else is here, Rini?" she asked the little girl, who had taken her hand, and was skipping along at her side. Rini smiled up at her.

"Just us. Do you like thunderstorms?" Xantha nodded.

"Love 'em. You two won't be going anywhere for a while…look at that!" she finished, throwing open the door of her room and gesturing to the window. Rain was streaming down against the glass, and the thunder growled almost continuously, punctuated by the dazzling glare of lightening.

"Whoa!" Serena gasped, as they gathered at the window. "And it came on so fast…OW!" she cried, jerking her hand away from the radiator.

"Static in the atmosphere," Xantha explained, her voice tired, as she flopped down onto the bed. Malachite immediately moved over to her.

"You O.K?" he asked, sitting down beside her, his voice mildly concerned. He knew better than to let on just how worried he really was. Xantha nodded.

"Fine…the electricity of a storm can make people feel tired. 'Officially', I'm still an invalid. I haven't got back my usual energy level yet, so the static is able to effect me. That's all." Malachite nodded, relieved, and they all fell silent, watching the play of the elements in the sky outside.

"Hello?" Darien said, picking up the telephone receiver the next morning.

May I speak to Darien Shields? a woman's voice asked.

"This is Darien," he replied.

Good morning, Mr. Shields the woman said formally. This is Tokyo General Hospital. Would you be able to collect your sister?

"Yes, of course," Darien agreed. He glanced at the window, where the rain was still falling, though it had eased off during the night. He didn't envy Malachite, who had left the apartment in response to a frantic call half-an-hour earlier in relation to a fashion show due to take place the following day.

Very well. Thank you. the woman said brusquely, then the line went dead. Darien shrugged and replaced the receiver.

"Nice talking to you too," he murmured, pulling on his jacket before leaving the apartment.

"Good morning, Mr. Shields," Toya greeted Darien as he entered Xantha's room.

"Hello," Darien replied. Xantha was standing at the mirror, securing the end of one of her plaits.

"Now, Xantha, after your check-up a week from now, I never want to see your face again!" Toya told her seriously. Xantha turned from the mirror, her face hurt. Toya laughed. "Nothing against you, but if I never see you again, that almost guarantees that you've stayed healthy and in one piece!" Xantha laughed, her face clearing.

"Fine by me! Thanks for everything, Toya!" The doctor grinned, offering her his hand.

"Good-bye, Xantha. It was lovely to have met you…take care of yourself, O.K?" Xantha took his hand in a firm shake.

"Yes, sir! 'Bye, Toya. Don't you ever get into the state I was in…no matter how pretty the nurses are, it's still not worth it!" Toya laughed.

"I'll take your word for it! 'Bye." He escorted the siblings to the front door then, shaking hands with them both, he bid them farewell. After reminding Xantha not to forget about her check-up, he turned and went off to another of his patients, as Xantha and Darien left the building and headed for the apartment.

"How's everyone?" Xantha asked as she pushed open the door of the apartment. She looked around the room fondly. "Oh, it's great to be home!" she exclaimed, tossing her jacket over a chair and curling up at the end of the sofa.

"Great to have you home. Everyone's fine, including Luna and Artemis." Darien replied. Xantha nodded, satisfied.

"Where's my costume?" she demanded suddenly, drawing her mask out of her pocket and holding it up. Darien grinned.

"In your room. Did you think I was going to put it in a display case or something?" he replied, laughing. Xantha shrugged, before she shook her head, also laughing.

"S'pose not. Excuse me for a moment," she returned, rising to her feet and entering her room. She emerged again a few minutes later, clad in Pegasus' outfit, the coiled whip held in her left hand and the mask in her right. "Well?" she demanded.

"Well what?"

"Am I really any different as Pegasus?" Darien looked up at his twin speculatively.

"You're more ruthless, and you have special powers, but you're still you," he replied consideringly. Xantha nodded slightly, placing her mask over her features.

"And yet, in some way, there's nothing that 'Pegasus' and 'Xantha' have in common, is there?" she asked quietly. Darien nodded slowly. He often felt the same way; even though he _knew_ that 'Tuxedo Mask' was a masked version of himself, in some peculiar way, his masked persona was an entirely different person – completely independent of him. "It _is_ confusing, isn't it?" Xantha murmured, pacing easily across the room, her cape swinging with every step. It suddenly flared out, as she swung around in mid-stride to face her brother. "And it doesn't get any easier to reconcile who we _really_ are when you add 'Princess Xantha' and 'Prince Endymemion' to the mix! It's like trying to make a cake when you've only seen half the recipe…and do you mind telling me where you got 'more ruthless' from?" she suddenly changed the subject. "As Xantha, I don't go up against creatures that look like they've stepped out of the nearest chamber of horrors. As Pegasus, I do to them what they'd do to me, except I make it quick and clean. The claws on some of those things are designed with 'lingering' in mind!" Darien nodded again.

"Yeah, I see your point…in both cases, before you bite my head off!" Xantha laughed easily at his words.

"Relax, Pegasus has left the building…as of now!" she told him, touching the hilt of the whip to her chest, and reappearing as herself. "See? 'm just plain old Xantha!" Darien laughed at that, coming to his feet.

"Not old…and certainly not plain!" he retorted, grinning. Xantha shrugged.

"I'm older than you."

"By half an hour!"

"It still counts."

Darien shook his head. When Xantha was in this mood, he just couldn't win. She had an answer for everything.

"You're incorrigible!" he told her, in mock frustration.

"That's the way I'm meant to be," she replied, with unruffled calm. Darien rocked back on his heels, regarding his sister, who had flopped down on the couch again. It was good to have her home. Even having this teasing match was a relief after the worry that had been sitting on his shoulders. Xantha rose to her feet and headed for her room again. "I'm going to put this away," she told him, rolling the blue crystal between her thumb and forefinger. "I'm going to follow doctor's orders, and take things easy for the next few days." Darien nodded, as she passed him. The next second he fell forward onto the balls of his feet as a muffled cry of surprise came from Xantha's room.


	13. Chapter 13

"Xan, is something wrong…" He trailed off in horror as he pushed open her door to see a tall figure holding Xantha firmly, one hand covering her mouth, the other arm between their bodies, pinning Xantha's upper arms against his torso. Xantha's curtains were drawn, so it was impossible to make out more then the height of Xantha's assailant, but there was something naggingly familiar about it, all the same. _First things first!_ Darien chided himself, transforming. "Alright, let the lady go!" he commanded. The figure turned to look at him, and Tuxedo Mask bit back a gasp of surprise. It was Malachite! Well, sort of. Malachite's long hair was secured in a pony-tail at the nape of his neck, and Darien involuntarily shuddered at the gaze fastened on him. Malachite's usual lilac irises had disappeared. Now, it was impossible to distinguish between pupils and irises. There were simply black circles on white. A dark grey amulet hung around his neck and he was clad in a jet-black uniform and dark grey cloak with a sheathed sword at his waist. As Malachite and Tuxedo Mask stared silently at each other, Malachite suddenly hissed in pain, whipping his hand away from Xantha's face. Xantha had bitten him.

"You little wildcat!" he exclaimed, his voice coldly furious, examining his palm. "You drew blood!"

"Well, let me go!" she retorted, trying to pull away from his hold on her arms. "Seriously, Malachite, have you gone nuts? You're hurting me!" Malachite didn't answer, or loosen his grip. "Let me GO!" Xantha cried, her voice rising. Malachite still made no verbal reply, but his free hand dipped into the chest-pocket of the black uniform, and emerged holding an amulet similar to the one he was wearing. With a quick movement, he slipped the cord over Xantha's head, then released her. Darien stared in horror at the jet-black nimbus that had obscured his sister; then rounded on Malachite. He knew that someone else was in control of the man's body. Malachite would never have hurt Xantha, now his memory had been restored.

"You madman!" Tuxedo Mask snapped, grasping Malachite by the neck of the uniform, and slamming the white-haired man into the wall. "What have you done to Xantha?" The answer came from behind him, in a taunting tone.

"Why not find out for yourself, cutie?" Tuxedo Mask stiffened, then turned, still gripping Malachite's clothing.

"No!" he gasped in horrified disbelief, staring at Xantha. Her eyes had changed, becoming the same as Malachite's, and she was clad in a uniform and cloak slightly reminiscent of the one Malachite wore, but cut to emphasise her figure – the top stopped above her midriff, instead of being tunic-length, like Malachite's. Her hair had lengthened, and was bound up in a bun on her head, with a thick tail coming from the centre of the bun and trailing forward over her shoulder. Tuxedo Mask shook his head. "Not again," he muttered in despair. The girl that had been his sister smiled maliciously.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, baby, but what you see is what you get. Now, you get one warning. Let silver-top there go…or else!" she commanded, nodding toward Malachite. Tuxedo Mask, still dazed, shook his head mutely. Xantha scowled.

"I asked nicely, so you've got no-one to blame but yourself!" she snapped, flinging her hair back over her shoulder. She suddenly cartwheeled toward him and her heels caught him full in the chest. Darien was flung through the open doorway and across the living room. His impact with the wall knocked him out momentarily. He groggily raised his head to see Malachite standing over him, drawn sword resting lightly agaist Darien's collar-bone, while Xantha was standing on the balcony, talking to someone he couldn't make out. She re-entered the room, followed by a figure wearing a hooded black cloak. At the sight of the figure, Darien pulled himself together.

"You're the guy who collapsed that warehouse!" he exclaimed.

"No…that was my father," the figure returned, throwing back its hood, to reveal a girl of the Scouts' age, with heavy green hair swung around her head in a corona of plaits. "He told me to fetch these two," she explained, gesturing toward Xantha and Malachite. "Now that you know…well…" she paused, then snapped her fingers. A globe of silver-blue light appeared in her palm, which she flung at Xantha. It hit her and disappeared, as a sword like Malachite's materialised at her waist. At a gesture from the girl, she drew the blade, and moved to stand beside Malachite. The girl glanced at Tuxedo Mask again. "Kill him!" she ordered the two uniformed figures, moving toward the balcony.

"Not so fast!" Serena's voice interrupted as she and the other Scouts stepped into the room. The girl withdrew from the five angry glares that fell on her.

"You two!" she snapped. "Forget him! Kill them!" Xantha and Malachite turned obediently at her command, and moved toward the Scouts.

"Thanks!" Sailor Moon exclaimed, pointing her sceptre at the pair. "MOON HEALING ACTIVATION!" White light flowed from her sceptre, peeling away the changes, and revealing Xantha and Malachite. The amulets around their necks shattered, dissolving into a fine grey dust.The girl screamed in a mixture of fear and anger, cringing away from the five scouts as Malachite morphed into his uniform, and a portal opened in the middle of the room.

"What is amiss, daughter mine?" the dusty voice asked, as the shadowy figure appeared through it, leading a winged horse, whose vivid violet mane and tail stood out strongly against the pure white of her coat. Xantha uttered a sound midway between a gasp and a scream.

"Tansa!" she exclaimed. The horse raised her head…and gave everyone a shock.

"Xantha!"she relpied to the young woman's cry. The animal's voice was clear, musical. The single word galvanised Xantha into action. With a spring she reached her room, and bright blue light illuminated the interior, followed by the appearance of Pegasus in the bedroom door.

"This is what's wrong, father!" the girl exclaimed in a shrill voice, cowering against him. "These accursed Scouts have broken the spell of your amulets!" The figure slowly swept a gaze over the group. When he reached Pegasus, he hesitated.

"Remember me, bright eyes?" Pegasus asked pleasantly. The figure drew itself up.

"I certainly do," he replied coldly.

"I'm _so_ glad for you! Let Tansa go, right now…or I can't be held responsible for the consequences!" Pegasus ordered calmly. The shadowy shape slowly shook his head. Pegasus shrugged, "I gave you fair warning!"

"Not so hasty, my young friend," the cloaked figure replied. "Thou may have reason to reconsider thy demand."

"Why would I want to do that?!" Xantha demanded, her voice heavy with contempt. "And don't call me your 'young friend'! Are you _trying_ to give me nightmares?" The figure shook his head again.

"I have no interest in being the cause of _fancied_ dangers! As for why thou would have cause to reconsider thy request…"

"That was an order, _not_ a _**request**_!" Pegasus snapped.

"Whatever!" the girl spoke up. "And don't interrupt Father when he's talking!" The figure glanced once at her, and she fell silent. It pulled on a rope, seemingly woven of shadow, and a figure stumbled forward from the Negaverse. The young man's hands were bound behind his back, and his face was blank, his eyes glassy and staring.

"Toya!" Pegasus gasped in horror. "Let them _both_ go!!" she demanded, switching her gaze back to the figure. The figure shook his head once more.

"I will give thee one with no difficulty, the other, thou must earn the freedom of! Human, or horse…which is it to be?" he asked, a cruel taunting note in his voice. Pegasus' gaze darted between the two prisoners, then flew to Malachite. As their eyes met, she raised her eyebrows in a silent plea for help.

'What do I do?' she mouthed silently at him. He shrugged slightly. He felt sure Xantha would choose her horse, and he felt threatened by her friendship with the doctor. Mina had spoken truly. Toya was handsome, and he was also a pleasant, cheery individual. Malachite felt that he couldn't really compare with the friendly young man. After all, no matter what Xantha said, Malachite had done some pretty unforgivable things to her. If the doctor were gone, Malachite felt that he would feel slightly more comfortable in their relationship. Guilty, but more secure. Pegasus suddenly turned on her heel, and disappeared into Darien's room.

"So, she will not choose. Who will?" the figure queried. The group glanced at each other, but no-one offered.

"Oh, I will choose," Pegasus informed them, emerging from the room. "I just needed something. Now…you'll release one of them, no fuss?" she continued. The figure nodded. "However, to free the other one, I have to fight you? Do I get to choose where we fight?" This time, the figure shook his head.

"No, I shall not face thee…my daughter will be thy opponent. But decision of the battlefield lies with thee." Pegasus nodded in agreement.

"Fine by me. Let Toya go. He has nothing to do with me or the Scouts, or any of it, and I refuse to allow him be involved in this! As for Tansa, I choose the Throne Room of the Negaverse for our fight!" Her announcement was received with shocked gasps. The figure nodded shortly and released the rope which bound the doctor. The rope dissolved, vanishing with no trace, and the doctor tumbled forward, unconscious.

"Come when th'art ready," he stated, disappearing back into the Negaverse with his daughter and Tansa. As the portal closed, everyone turned to stare at Pegasus.

"Xantha…_what_ are you _THINKING_?" Darien demanded, reversing his transformation. Xantha and the Scouts did the same thing.

"Don't try and stop me!" she stated. "Pegasus is too weak still to fight. However, in the Negaverse, _Kunzite_ will have every chance of winning!" Everyone gaped at her.

"Kun…Kunzite?" Serena began. "Oh, Xantha, you can't! We'd have to fight you to stop you and…" Xantha placed her hands on Serena's shoulders.

"Relax, Serena. You won't. Because Malachite isn't evil anymore, I'll still be the same person inside." Malachite nodded.

"That's true, but _I'm_ going to fight that girl. I won't risk you getting seriously hurt, your Highness. I just _**won't**_!" he said, his eyes holding Xantha's. She shrugged detachedly.

"Don't see how you plan to stop me," she retorted, and with that, slipped the black crystal pendant over her head. The transformation started almost immediately and Kunzite stood before the group.

"Do you _have_ to do this?" Darien demanded. Kunzite nodded.

"Of course. Tansa _is_ my responsibility! Malachite, will you take Toya to the hospital?" Malachite looked first at the doctor, then at Kunzite. Facing her squarely, he shook his head.

"No. I'm coming with you. I'm the only other person who can use the negaforce. If you drain yourself, you'll need a second. That's _my_ responsibility! To prevent that guy and his daughter killing you!" Kunzite looked puzzled for a moment, then smiled.

"Love cancels all other duties, huh?" she asked. "You aren't my bodyguard…"

"Correction, I'm not _Xantha's_ bodyguard. You're not Xantha." Malachite interjected. Kunzite waved that aside.

"I am where it matters," she replied, tapping her forehead. "Well, if you won't take Toya back, who will?"

"I will," Ami volunteered. "But that means that I can't come with you." Serena transformed again.

"Make him forget this, and there's no need to take him to the hospital," she observed, looking at the unconscious man. She glanced at Malachite. "Could you…?" she left it hanging. Malachite nodded.


	14. Chapter 14

Ten minutes later, the group entered the Dark Kingdom's throne room. Kunzite waved the group back against the wall.

"Stay there!" she commanded them briskly. "This is _my_ fight!"

"Got that right!" the girl responded, emerging from the shadows. She had discarded her cloak, appearing in a ruby-red top, blue trousers and black knee boots. Her eyes widened as she saw the grey-suited figure. "Who the hell are YOU?" she demanded. A tight smile flickered over Kunzite's features.

"Lady Kunzite of the Negaverse. Your name is…?"

"Aki," the girl replied, dazed. "You're fighting for the horse?" At Kunzite's nod, she continued, her voice calm again. "Who's your second?"

"I am," Malachite replied, stepping forward to stand beside Kunzite. "Who's yours?" Aki laughed mockingly.

"My father, of course. But I doubt he'll need to take over. I could beat you both with one hand tied behind my back!" Kunzite moved forward, making a quick gesture to Malachite to stay where he was.

"Care to make good your boast?" she queried. Aki shrugged.

"That's what we're here for. Give me your best shot…unless you'd like to start running right now?" she replied, her voice taunting. Kunzite shook her head, a queer look in her eyes. She didn't waste time replying, but threw the dark energy already gathered in her palm towards her smirking opponent. Aki gasped and threw herself backwards, the globe passing above her. Kunzite didn't give her time to regain her feet.

"NEGA-BOLT!"

The beam raced toward the girl, catching her on the shoulder as she scrambled to her feet. Flung down the room by the force of the blow, Aki's shriek of surprise turned into a cry of pain as she impacted; face first, into the floor. She rolled to her feet, and whipped around to face Kunzite, the thick plaits falling from their arrangement on top of her head.

"That was a cheap trick!" she snapped. Kunzite laughed scornfully.

"Oh, come on. D'you expect me to believe that you'd have stood back and let me regain _my_ feet?!" Aki's face contorted in fury.

"That's not the point!" she screamed, unleashing a storm of black crystal shards that flew toward Kunzite like bullets. Kunzite flung up her arm, creating a shield, but one of the shards struck her shoulder. Hissing in pain, Kunzite retaliated with a river of dark fire from her eyes, as her hand flew to the freely bleeding gash on her shoulder. Aki threw up her hands, turning the tongue of flame away from herself, and converting it to a fiery hail, which rained down on the Scouts, Tuxedo Mask and Malachite. Malachite reacted instantly, throwing up an umbrella-like shield, but one or two of the mini comets had struck and there were scorches on uniforms.

"And you call me firing at you a cheap trick?" Kunzite demanded. "How would you like it if I fried your precious father?"

"You'd never be able to!" Aki retorted smugly as the drops of fire wrapped themselves around Kunzite in a flaming tornado. "He'd turn you into a pile of ash before you took two steps. 'Lady of the Negaverse'…yeah, right! You're worthless!" Kunzite's face darkened and she slammed her hands against the whirling streams of fire. The tornado died, leaving Kunzite standing, her uniform scorched and, in some places, burnt away, soot and burns marking the exposed skin, and her eyes glowing with a cold fire.

"You _**asked**_ for this!" she cried, tendrils of what looked like smoke flowing from her fingertips. "DARKNESS ENSHROUD!" The smoke gathered in a cloud, and leapt toward Aki. The girl laughed, not even attempting to do anything.

"Oh, please? You think I'm afraid of the _dark_?! I live here, in the Negaverse! Darkness doesn't scare me!" Kunzite didn't reply, merely watched as the cloud drew nearer to the green-haired girl. The cloud suddenly wrapped itself around Aki, condensing and hardening, binding her securely from the neck down. She struggled, but couldn't make the slightest difference to her form-fitting prison.

"Not scared of the dark?" Kunzite taunted. "That's a fatal error on your part." She raised her hands, and a globe of dark fire, with streaks of florescent green ripping through it, appeared between her palms. "Thanks for the warm-up! Let's see if your father thinks I'm so worthless…NEGAFORCE, OBLIVIATE!" Aki screamed in terror as Kunzite flung the dark orb, which had begun to burn with an emerald glow, straight toward her. Kunzite's aim was unerring, and the destructive force bore down on the imprisoned girl. The shadowy shape of Aki's father suddenly materialised between the energy and its destination. The globe struck him full in the chest, and exploded, obscuring him in a blinding pillar of incandescent green flames. The power radiating out from ground zero of the explosion sent everyone but Aki, who still couldn't move, and Kunzite, staggering backward. The fire died, and a scorched black cloak fell to the ground.

"FATHER!" Aki screamed in disbelief. Kunzite stalked up the room to the heap of material. She kicked it, then bent down and picked it up.

"He may have been your father once," she muttered, shaking out the soot and ash from the cloak's folds. "But that thing I just destroyed didn't even have a corporal form!" Aki blinked at the ebony-haired Shadow General.

"What do you mean?" she demanded, her voice shaky. Kunzite snapped her fingers, and the restraints fell away from the girl.

"Where's Tansa?" Kunzite demanded, throwing Aki the cloak. Aki pointed toward the shadows it the far right corner of the hall.

"Tied there. What did you mean about my father?" Kunzite glanced at the girl as she strode to where she had indicated. Aki's expression was confused, and with the two heavy plaits hanging down either side of her face, she suddenly looked very young.

"He must have been human once, but he was eaten up by something, hate, loneliness, fear…I don't know what, and it turned him into a soulless, uncompassionate shadow, determined to hurt everyone. Including you."

"But he just saved me!" Aki protested. Kunzite shook her head.

"No, he didn't. He responded to my challenge." Aki stared at the cloak she held; then switched her gaze back to Kunzite, who was freeing Tansa.

"So you didn't kill him?" she asked. Kunzite shook her head again.

"No. Your father was already dead. What I destroyed was a shadow, composed completely of anger, ambition, hatred and evil. Something that had bred you into doing exactly what it wanted you to do, and not thinking for yourself." Kunzite laid a hand on the girl's shoulder as she led the winged horse toward the group. "I'm sorry, Aki, but you were nothing more then that demon's puppet." Aki looked up into Kunzite's face, and saw true sympathy in the dark eyes. She nodded, as she drew an amulet out from the neck of her top.

"Guess you're right. Sometimes I wondered why I didn't talk like him…all the thee's and thou's…guess 'cause I was a real person, and he wasn't." She pulled the amulet off, dropped it on the floor, and stamped on it. The amulet shattered into dust, and Aki's hair became a dark, dark brown, almost black. "Could you get me home?" she asked. "My mom lives in the States, since she and my dad split up, and I stayed here so I could finish school." Kunzite nodded.

"Malachite'll portal you there." Aki looked at her in surprise.

"Why can't you?" Kunzite grinned, and unfastened her pendant. Kunzite vanished, replaced by Xantha. She laughed at Aki's dumbfounded expression.

"Because I can't use the negaforce," she explained.

"I missed you, Xantha," Tansa murmured, nuzzling the black-haired girl.

"I missed you too, Tansa," Xantha replied, stroking the deep violet mane. Tansa suddenly laughed, and shook her head.

A purple jewel on her forehead caught the group's attention as it began to glow and the black halter she wore, formed from negative energy, disolved into nothingness.

"Good-bye, Aki," the horse said, as Malachite opened a portal opposite the address the teen had given him. Aki impulsively threw her arms around Tansa'a neck.

"Bye…and I'm so soory we kept you prisoner!" she cried. Tansa laughed.

"I forgive you, Aki. It wasn't your decision – and you as much a captive as I was!" Aki nodded.

"That's true. Good-bye, everyone!" she called as she stepped through the portal, and headed across the road.

"Good-bye!" the group chorused, as the portal closed. Malachite opened another portal, onto the roof of the apartment block.

"You, Xantha, are meant to be taking things easy," he told her. "Downstairs, NOW!" Xantha laughed, as she fished the Sky Crystal out of her pocket.

"After that fight, I feel fine. I don't need a rest…but I'm sure you need to stretch your wings, huh?" she suggested, turning to Tansa. The horse nodded. "Thought so," Xantha muttered, transforming, and vaulting up onto Tansa's back. "Whenever you're ready!" Tansa turned and trotted to the far side of the roof, then turned again.

"Move out of the way, all of you!" she commanded the group. "Don't forget to hold on, Xantha!"

"I won't!" Pegasus replied, settling herself comfortably. Tansa broke into a canter, and just before she reached the edge, leapt strongly into the air, clearing the parapet; her wings spreading to catch the evening breeze.

"YES!" she cried delightedly. "This is where I belong!"

"All right!! The steed of the skies is back in action!" Pegasus laughed, equally thrilled, as Tansa's speed sent her hair and cloak billowing out behind them. As Tansa stopped and hovered above the city, the two friends finally felt that their lives were how they should be. Tansa reared, and the group on the roof of the apartment saw Pegasus punch the air in satisfaction and heard, faintly, from the pair silhouetted against the setting sun, the two voices cry in victory,

"PEGASUS, ARISE!"


End file.
